GOLD FOR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 7

GOLD FOR NOTES.

NEW ZEALANDER ROBBED. MET FRIEND IN AUCKLAND. END OF SYDNEY HOLIDAY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 25. How a North Auckland contractor holidaying in Sydney lost £200 in New Zealand notes by the .almost age-old "gold for notes" trick was told in a Sydney Police Court this week. The New Zealander was Henry Webster Russell Sissons, who described himeelf as a contractor, of North Auckland. David McLean (36), salesman, was charged with having stolen £200 from him on June 6. Siseons said that on May T, in answer to an advertisement in a New Zealand paper, lie went to an office in Queen Street, Auckland, and was introduced to McLean, who was said to be "the man who wants a partner with £300 to go with him to Canada." McLean said that he had sent a man to Canada to arrange business there for him. The business was that of showmen. McLean then showed him books giving amounts of money Teceived throughout New Zealand. On May 13 witness called at the office and paid £300 in bank notes for a. partnership in the business. Later, McLean said, in a telephone conversation: "That Canadian trip is off. I want you to pick up the baggage at Auckland and come through to Wellington, where we will catch the Makura for Sydney, and then go to Singapore." Witness paid the fares of McLean, himself, and a man named Clarke to Sydney. On the voyage .McLean said: "J)id you bring that money?" Witness replied that he had brought £200. McLean said: "I have a friend in a bank in Sydney who will be able to get you gold for those notes, and at the sama time get the best exchange procurable." "We arrived at Sydney on Saturday, June 6," said Sissons. "McLean suggested that we stay at the Captain Cook Hotel. I handed him £200 in New Zealand bank notes, of some of which I had taken the numbers. Later in the afternoon McLean said that owing to the holidays his friend in the bank would not be able to arrange for the gold until the following Tuesday. On Tuesday morning we arrived at the Commonwealth Bank. McLean said, 'You wait here. If the two of us are seen in the bank together talking to my friend he might get into trouble.* I remained outside in the taxi. McLean came out of the bank in about five minutes and said, 'Everything is fixed up, and we are to call back on Thursday for the gold.' I spent that afternoon at Manly with Clarke. I saw McLean at breakfast next morning. I Eaid to him, 'Tom Clarke has asked us both over to Manlv to-day for a picnic' McLean replied that he had business in town and could not go, but did not see any reason why 1 should not. I went to Manly. I waited an hour for Clarke, who did not arrive. I got back to the hotel at 5.30 p.m. and discovered that McLean had left the hotel with his baggage." McLean was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions on July 1.