FRAUD CHARGES.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20919, 28 July 1933, Page 5

FRAUD CHARGES.

CHEAP PASSAGES HOME. ACCUSED FOUND Cl'lU'Y. U'KfclSi AHSM'I.VTIO;.' tklk-.k.u:.) AUCKLAND, July 27. In the Supreme Court Harold Bradley Brownrigg was charged with fraudulent conversion. The charge alleges that he obtained £l7 from a man named Manning by falsely representing that there existed a limited liability company known as Overseas Passages, Ltd., which could supply luin with a passage to England for £l7. The Crown Prosecutor said that I hero was no such company, no ship, and no passage Accused made use of a contract note which had all the appearance of being an authoritative document. There was m it a cause requiring the company to refund me monev if it could not find a passage. Manning, a farm labourer, said thai he understood the accused was a representative of a company. Witness gave up his job on a farm and gave accused a bicycle to pay the balance ot the fare. He could get no satisfaction. He offered to take £l." back and leave accused £5, but nothing happened. When witness called accused was always tot) busy to see him or was away Witness denied that accused had said that the company was trying to arrange passages and that the lowest price would be £25. Another witness who paid £b deposit said that he could get no satisfaction from accused. Later, accused wrote saying that it would be necessary to raise the original fare on account of the increased exchange rate. Witness then informed the police. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said that accused in a statement said that the company had not registered and the only nersons connected with it were himself and a man named Stewart. The intention of the proposed company was to endeavour to purchase en bloc third-class accommodation in ships leaving Now Zealand or to charter or purchase a ship. In the event of the contract being unfulfilled, deposits would be refunded. They were being held in a trust account. Witness again interviewed accused in April, when he said he intended to refund the deposit when he could. He had no ship in view. Witness told his Honour that about £7O had been paid in Hamilton as deposits. The Defence. Counsel said that the defence was that accused genuinely intended to provide passages. | Accused gave evidence saying that he conceived the idea because of the number of immigrants that were reI turning to England. He received 1100 1 enquiries. Cross-examined, accused said that the £75 he received from a man as a fidelity bond was used in the business. Tli"' Crown Prosecutor: You obtained £2OO from Stewart?—That was for shares. And shares were to be transferred from Captain Jones, who does not exist? —That is so. So you cold-bloodedly took Stewart down for £2oo?—Not intentionally. None of these people who paid deposits can get their money back?— Not at present. Prisoner was found guilty unci remanded for sentence. Counsel asked leave to appeal on the question whether the facts alleged and proved, taken in conjunction with the contract signed by Manning, amounted to theft. "You can raise the point later," said his Honour. "I don't think there is anything in it. It did not occur to me that there was any point of law to go to the Court of Appeal."