MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27368, 5 June 1954, Page 9

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

FRIDAY (Before Mr Rex C. Abernethy, S.M.) FIVE FALSE PRETENCES Peter Ghermensis, aged 26, a painter (Mr H. S. Thomas), pleaded guilty to three charges that between May 14 and 19 he obtained from Henry 1 Sturge, Ltd. painting materials of a total value of £34 10s 4d by falsely , representing that his name was Angel ‘ Androustos, of 299 St. Asaph street, and that he was painting State houses; and guilty to two charges of obtaining from Olive Campbell at total of £25 by falsely representing in one instance that his wife’s mother was ill in Dunedin and he required the money to pay his wife’s fare there,. and in the second instance by falsely representing that he needed the money to go to Dunedin and meet his wife there. He was remanded on renewed bail to June 10 for sentence. Detective-Sergeant G. W. Alty said that Mrs Campbell got in touch with Ghermensis when she replied to an advertisement and he contracted to do work at her house. Ghermensis called on her on March 27 and said his wife’s mother was ill in Dunedin and he needed £lO to pay his wife’s fare there. Mrs Campbell advanced him the money. On March 29 Ghermensis again called on her and showed her a letter written by his wife saying that her mother was dead. Ghermensis said he needed money to go to Dunedin to meet, his wife and Mrs Campbell advanced him £l5. Mrs Campbell later went to Ghermensis’ house and found his wife at home, said Detective-Sergeant Alty. Ghermensis arrived and told Mrs Campbell that he had gone to Dunedin but, not finding his wife there, he had returned to Christchurch. Mrs Campbell reported the matter to the police and Detective Brewer interviewed Ghermenais who admitted he knew his wife’s mother had been dead for nine years. He also said his wife wrote at hfe command the letter he had showed Mrs Campbell. Ghermensis had done no work at Mrs Campbell’s house and she did not want him there He had repaid her only £4 and she could ill afford to lose the money. When Ghermensis was questioned about obtaining the goods from Henry Sturge, Ltd., he told Detective Brewer he had given a wrong name to the firm because he owed several firms money under his own name, said De-tective-Sergeant Alty. Ghermensis had been very evasive about the question of paying for the goods and none of them had been recovered Ghermensis was a native of Greece and hpd been in New Zealand for three years. He was in trouble in Dunedin in 1952 for false pretences. REMANDED Neville George Munro Hartley, aged 35, a barman (Mr W. F. Brown), was further remanded on renewed bail to June 10 on a charge that on May 20 he received from Owen Eeslie Pugh cigarettes valued at £5 well knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. A man, whose name was ordered not to be published meantime, was remanded on bail to June 10 on a charge of stealing 2s 4Jd. TRAFFIC OFFENCES

The following persons were prosecuted by the police for breaches of the traffic regulations and penalties were imposed as stated:— Failing to give way.—Kenneth Allan Ballinger, £2; Jack Frederick Bryant, £2; James Henry Carrington, 30s; William Henry Kirk, £2; Robert Reid, £2; Alexander Nicol Robertson, £3; Eric Albert Sibley, £2. No driver’s licence.—Kenneth John Everest, £l. No warrant of fitness.—Ewart Harris Price, 10s. Using a motor-vehicle without due care.—Graham Michael Bogue, £2 (no warrant of fitness, 10s); George Oswald Cuts, £2; John Johnstone, £l. Insufficient lights on vehicle.—Alexander Dixon, £1; David Julian Edwards, £2 (no warrant of fitness, 10s). CHARGE DISMISSED

Gladys Marion Amy Newman, for whom Mr R. Twyneham appeared, pleaded not guilty to failing to give way to traffic on her right. The Magistrate dismissed the charge. He said that the motor-cyclist, who was on the defendant’s right, was travelling too fast. Drivers lost the benefit of the right-hand rule when they “snatched” it as this motorcyclist had done. (Before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.) CHARGES AGAINST LICENSEE DISMISSED After hearing counsel and the police prosecutor (Senior-Sergeant A. B. Collinge), the Magistrate dismissed charges against Desmond Hurford Hancock that on March 5, being the licensee of the Central Hotel, he sold liquor after hours, exposed liquor for sale ,and opened his premises for the sale of liquor. Mr B. McClelland apeared for Hancock. He also apeared for Mrs Hancock and for Trevor Barber, a barman, who had been charged with supplying liquor after hours. These charges also were dismissed. Mr J. G. Leggat appeared for three persons charged with being unlawfully on licensed premises, the Central Hotel, after hours on March 5. These charges too dismissed. The charges were heard on Thursday. ■