ALT FOR SENTENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 30, 6 February 1928, Page 5

ALT FOR SENTENCE.

EXTRADITED FROM HONOLULU

FALSE PRETENCES ADMITTED

OVER £1500 INVOLVED,

Pleas of guilty were entered in the Police Court this morning, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., by William Maddson Alt, aged 40, a motor mechanic (Mr. C. J- Lovegrove), to three charges of obtaining money by false pretences. The sums amounted to £1565 1/3. Chief Detective Hammond prosecuted. _ Alt was charged with at Auckland on November 1 last obtaining from the New Zealand Guarantee Corporation, Ltd., of Wellington, the sum of £432 13/6 by falsely representing that he had sold to Thomas Robertson, of Papakura, a motor lorry for £701 10/6, whereof Robertson had paid a deposit of £210 in cash, and was owing the balance payable by monthly instalments, whereas no such sale was made. There were similar charges—on December 5, involving £562 7/6, and on December 10, £-570 0/3 —with regard to lorries represented to have been sold to Edward Newman, of Otahuhu.

Robertson stated that accused had made representations to him that he could sell a truck to a man at Pukekohe. but that if he sold it direct he >vould not receive the full commission, as some would have to go to the local agent. Witness agreed to act as a temporary purchaser, and signed a hirepurchase agreement and a number of promissory notes.

Newman stated that Alt made similar representations to him. Witness signed the documents, and three days later accused returned and said that "he had had a mishap, and the documents had been burnt. Witness signed a second set.

Detective Sinclair said that lie arrested Alt when he arrived by the Aorangi on January 29, after having been extradited from Honolulu. Accused told him that the whole matter would be cleared up in a day or two. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.