SHEEP DIP.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9540, 4 March 1919, Page 7

SHEEP DIP.

ALLEGED FRAUD

AUCKLAND, March 3

The trial of John C. Harrison upon a number of charges of fraud, arising out of dealings in a compound known as " Anconia sheep dip," was begun at the Supreme Court to-day betore Mr Justice Hosking.

,The accused was arrested last year at Vancouver and extradited, to New Zealand, but the trial was j delayed by. the epidemic and by the difficulty':.. in Retting certain C _own witnesses from Australia, with the result that accused was over ten months in custody.

The indictment contained five/charges of obtaining cheques by means of ifalsp pretences, with alternative charges of stealing cheques and of steaUng.money. They represented alleged offences relatine to persons resident in Te Awamutu. Te Kuiti, Marton, New Plymouth, and PalmerEiton Norlh. Harrison was also charged that on: various dates in January and February, 1918, he obtained credit by means of fruad from five Auckland _ firms or ' business men. - . - ■ ■ -■■- - ■ ■•■ •■■-■ '--"

The Hon. J. Tole, Crown Prosecutor, in opening the case, said the series of transactions referred to in the indictment constituted one of the grossest pieces of imposture; ever discovered in New Zealand, and was carried.out with •a refinement that showed a practised hand. The five charges of false pretences all related to cheques of an I aggregate value of £300 odd. These cheaues the accused obtained by false representations that certain packages^ of powder contained a good and effective sheep dip preparation, which was sold by accused under the name of " Aneonia Sheep Dip," which would be shown to be worthless for that purpose. Ih addition accused also fraudulently \ obtained credit to the extent of £234 lin procuring a quantity of goods, including sulphur, soda and alum, boxes, printed cartons, pamphlets, and other printed matter relating to the dip. Harrison arrived from Australia on December .26. 1917. He told the Customs officials that he was a,-farmer travelling for the benefit of his health. Within ten days he secured the lease of premises in Queen Street for a term of three years, at a rental of £165 a year. He represented himself to the landlord as a member of the firm of "John Harrison and Sons, "Warehousemen." By March 5, however, he was out of New Zealand, leaving the premises derelict, but in the meantime he had succeeded in accumulating about £1000 by means of his bogus sheep dip, although the present charges related to only about £300. Accused went on a. journey down the Main Trunk line, in the course of which 'he persuaded persons to buy quantities of his preparation and to give open cheques in payment. He declared that the dip was better than certain well-known preparations, and that it had been used successfully in the Argentine and elsewhere. He offered them agencies, and promised to send canvassers to push the sales. When the' canvassers failed to arrive, some of the victims made inquiries, but by that time Harrison was on the 'high seas.'.' Sample's of the powder were sent for analysis, and were pronounced worthless as a sheep dip or disinfectant, the estimated value of a 5s packet being about sixpence.