TOUR IN HIRED CAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1932, Page 5

TOUR IN HIRED CAR.

YOUNG FARMER PROSECUTED.

CABLED HOME FOR MONEY. Appearing in the dock at the Police Court, wearing only a shirt and trousers, Donald Edwin Sharp, aged gB, a fruit farmer, was charged with incurring a debt of £7 14/6 with Shorter's Rental Cars, Limited, thereby obtaining credit by fraud. Sharp pleaded not guilty, but admitted the facts. Detective Sergeant Kelly said Sharp hired a car at 4 p.m. on February 15 and paid 7/ for the three hours up to 7 p.m. He did not return the car that night, but went to Thames with a companion. The car was away four days and during that time it had covered 400 miles, and the total cost, including some damage to the car, was £7 14/6. "This man is destitute and has even pawned his coat and spectacles," said Mr. Kelly. "He comes from Canada and he says that he has a joi'"t account with his father. He has cabled his father for £10, but it has not arrived yet." Counsel for accused questioned the right of the police in bringing the charge, which he said placed them in the role of debt collectors for the owners of the car. Sharp went to Thames to see friends, and would pay his account if allowed a little time to get the money from his father. Detective Hamilton, who arrested accused, said he Hiought he was more foolish than criminal. The magistrate ordered accused to come up for sentence when called upon. He would not make an order that Sharp P- y the amount owing for car hire.