NOT A DOCTOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 66, 19 March 1931, Page 10

NOT A DOCTOR.

PRACTISING IN PALMERSTON. TAXI FARE TO WELLINGTON. DISPENSER FINED £10. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., Wednesday. Allegations of posing as a doctor were made against Robert Cecil Thompson, of Wellington, described as an English dispenser, aged 32 years, who appeared before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court at Palmerston North to-day. The charges against accused were that on February 10, at Palmerston North, he incurred a debt or liability to Sydney Herbert Nunn for taxi fare to Wellington for £6, and thereby obtained credit by fraud; that from February 7 to February !), at Palmerston North, not being a registered medical practitioner under "the Medical Practitioners Act, he practised medicine under the title of "doctor"; and that on February 7 he accepted an appointment as a medical practitioner duly registered under the Medical Practitioners Act.

Detective Russell said accused arrived at Palmerston North on February 6. He had represented himself as a doctor and had taken charge of the hospital for refugees at the show grounds. He had been appointed after reporting to Major Potter. Mr. Phillips, managing secretary of the Hospital Board, said accused was introduced as Dr. Thompson. He was instructed to take charge at the show grounds and was relieved after a day. Other evidence was given that accused acted in the capacity of a doctor. In evidence, accused said he had never held himself out as a doctor. He had helped as a dispenser at Napier after the earthquake, and also assisted at the show grounds, "but he had not prescribed. The debt to the taxi driver he considered a private One. On the charge of incurring the taxi fare accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months. He was also ordered to pay tfcg driver within a month. The second charge was withdrawn. On the charge of accepting an appointment without being a qualified medical prae-' fcitroiier he was fined £10.