ADMISSION OF FRAUD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22418, 3 June 1938, Page 4

ADMISSION OF FRAUD

AUCKLAND “ SYNDICATE ” INVOLVED YOUNG MAN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE An admission that he obtained £387 10s 9d by false representations from William Andrew Erasmuson was made in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by Gordon Vincent Anderson, who in a statement to the police, described himself as a at present unemployed. Anderson, who was represented by Mr R. Twyneham. was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The charge against Anderson was that, with intent to defraud, he did obtain of and from William Andrew Erasmuson £387 10s 9d, between August 9, 1937, and January 7, 1938, by means of a false pretence; by falsely representing that it was to be part payment of £ 1000 worth of sports goods ordered from England by Thompson Syndicate, numbers 4. and 5, of AucklandErasmuson. a florist, of High street, said that he had known Anderson for seven or eight years, and had done business with the ' accused’s father. The accused told him that the syndicate required at least £350, together with his own money, and an amount to be put in by Thompson’s to buy £IOOO worth of sports goods in England. Anderson had made it quite clear to him that the business was done quite apart from his father’s business. Witness said that he agreed to invest £350, and on August 9 had paid over £250 in cash and received a receipt. , Further Amounts Paid On August 13 he paid another £IOO, and received another receipt. On August 28 accused gave him a written undertaking to refund the sum of £350 within seven days from December 31, with any profits which might have accrued. If there was any loss on the transaction, the full amount

which had been paid in with interest; would be paid back. In November; witness continued, he received a letter purporting to come from the syndicate asking for £lO as his share of the cost of a consignment of goods arriving from England. He paid this but got no receipt. On January 7 he was told that owing to the Christmas rush the syndicate could not distribute the profits. A further £25 was asked for charges on goods arriving in the Dominion, and also for £2 10s 9d as his share of the cost of a cable to England. These sums were paid : by cheque, but witness did not receive a receipt. When no dividends came in during February, witness said, he communicated with Anderson seni6r's office, but could not get into touch with accused. Finally he went to' his solicitors and the matter was placed before the police. To Mr Twyneham, witness said that Anderson had always made it clear that this deal had nothing at all to do with Anderson senior. Percy M. Thompson, joint manager of the Norwich Union Life Insurance Society, Auckland, said that he had met the accused in Christchurch in 1936. He had not heard of any Thompson syndicate, nor of any syndicate requiring £IOOO for importing sports goods from England. He had received no mopey from the accused, nor from any other person for such a syndicate. Detective Duncan McKenzie said that he interviewed the accused on May 19, when Anderson ssid that he did not wish to make any statement about the allegations by Erasmuson, of which witness had tola him. The following day witness arrested the accused on warrant. On June 1 Anderson made a statement in which he said that his statements to Erasmuson had no’ foundation in fact. Anderson pleaded guilty to the charge and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed at £3OO, with one surety of £3OO, and Anderson was further ordered to report daily to the police.