A NEW ARRIVAL IN TROUBLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7824, 17 June 1909, Page 3

A NEW ARRIVAL IN TROUBLE.

DUNED!^, June 16. . A young man named"^tephen. Kotze was charfed on four, iiiformations at, the Magistrate's Court <to-day with obtaining £4 15s by fals^ pretences. Accused had represented, himself as an insurance agent, . acceptea money ac premiums. Accuseds counsel said his client had been driven to the offence by force of circumstances. Kotze was a native.of Capetown, and had been lured to New Zealand by reports as to the prosperity of this dominion. He immigrated with a young wire and baby, but on arrival did not find things as they had been represented, and after much trouble he obtained employment as an insurance agent. His commission averaged about £2 7s per week. This he found insufficient to keep himself and family, and 1 driven to desperation he committed Hhe offenco he was now charged '"His Worship said that, while he was -always ready to give a chance to first offenders, in this case there was more than one lapse, and a penalty must be imposed. Ho would be fined £2 on eaoh of the charges, and £1 on • the second, and he was ordered, to refxmd the money he -had accepted. in each case was fixed at fourteen days" imprisonment. • , , Kotzo was also charged with pne more serious offence . of forging the name of Joseph Charlton to a bonus form on a policy issued by the Government Life Insurance Department. The yalue of the bonus was £52. Accused pleaded guilty, and was remanded!to tb» Supreme Court for B9Bift&c»* ,