FRAUD BY CHINESE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 228, 26 September 1930, Page 5

FRAUD BY CHINESE.

GROCERS VICTIMISED. COJfVERTED potatoes into CASH. GARDENER SENT TO GAOL. A story of how four grocers were victimised <by a Chinese was told at the Police Court this morning when Low Mee Wah, aged 29, a gardener, pleaded guilty to four charges of incurring debts totalling £11 1-3/, thereby obtaining credit by fraud. Chief Detective Hammond said accused had previously worked as a labourer in a Chinese market garden at Otahuhu. "Concerning these charges," added Mr. Hammond, "Wah's method was to go to grocers and tell them he had a garden. He got from each, one four or five sacks of potatoes, brought them to the city in a motor truck, and sold the potatoes for cash. He is considerably in debt to local merchants." Counsel for accused pointed out that he had never been in trouble previously and that only £11 was involved. He was a married man and had been ont of work for some time. It was while unemployed that he conceived the idea jf getting money to tide him over hard times. Y\rct he had d.vn t vas quite wrong. A Chinese m&rket gai«i-jc>.r i-t Pan mure prepared [to gi'-'e him work and to make restitution. "In a month's time he can," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. "He's not going to so round robbing people like that." Wah was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.