FALSE PRETENCES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 83, 4 October 1930, Page 15

FALSE PRETENCES

"HONESTY BEST POLICY"

"I have come to the conclusion that honesty is the best policy, and whatever sentence your Worship imposes on me, it will be my; last appearance Mn' this Court or any other Court," said Arthur David Thomas, labourer, aged 35, in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday^ when ho appeared on: two charges -or obtaining money and clothing by means of false pretences, and the theft of a shotgun valued at £6 10s, the property of James Ginn.Mr. B. Page, S.M., was on tho bench. Thomas, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to four 'months'1 imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to bo concurrent, and to be served at the expiration of the sentence ho was now, serving. Sub-Inspector Ward said that the accused was employed as a labourer by the Forestry Department near Eotorua. He stole tho gun from.a fellow-worker, and took it to Botorua, where he gave it to'a.Maori. It was when tho gun was produced for registration purposes that it was discovered it had been stolen. The accused went to Auckland, where he issued valueless cheques, and obtained money and clothing. He came1 to Wellington, and on tho 22nd July was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for; issuing .ivaluolessf,eheques. .The,;accused,said he wassuudor the influence of drink when he:, took tho guri,,,'and the valueless cheques were tte'iesult of.d rink: and the/bad eomp'anyj ho had.associated ;