MAN ADMITS FRAUDS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28490, 21 January 1958, Page 6

MAN ADMITS FRAUDS

£2163 By False Pretences (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 20. A 49-year-old company director who, according to the police, used the names of well-known business and professional men and members of the Judiciary to further his offences, today pleaded guilty before Mr J. W. Kealy, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to three charges of false pretences and seven charges of uttering forged documents. The man, Eldon John Evelyn Napier, was convicted and remanded for a week for sentence. A request by his counsel, Mr D. S. Beattie, for a psychiatric report was granted. Mr 'Beattie said there were so many fantastic facets to the case that he considered such a report would be of use. The police prosecutor (Mr E. J. Gaines) said the charges covered a period of between December, 1952, and December, 1957, and a considerable sum of money was involved. Police inquiries showed that Napier, who had not previously been before the Court, began an advertising agency, holding 80 per cent, of the shares. “It was not a successful venture, and it appears that this lack of success was the cause of his later activities when he became so involved in debt that when judgment summonses were being enforced, he descended to dishonest means to obtain money to pay his debts,” said Mr Gaines. Is 3d in Bank Various means had been used by Napier to obtain money. On one occasion, he obtained £3OO by giving a creditor a savings bank withdrawal slip claiming he had £4600 to his credit. In fact, he had only Is 3d to his credit, and this had been the position for 20 years, said Mr Gaines. “On July 16, 1954, Napier told the creditor that Mr Justice Stanton had authorised him to obtain from the latter £463 8s 3d so that an income tax claim against Napier’s firm could be paid. Napier said that when his claim was met the judge would release to the creditor a treasury warrant for £7500.

“This alleged warrant, according to Napier, represented moneys which had accrued as profit from the sale of liquor and other transactions which the Court had handled when certain business interests of Napier’s had been placed in the Supreme Court,” said Mr Gaines. Bank Deposit Slip Napier had gone to a city bank and deposited £2 to the man’s credit, but later gave the man a deposit slip, properly stamped with the bank stamp, for £2OOO. On another occasion, he said he intended to buy an hotel, but was short of cash. He obtained £l4OO, but when the person who gave him the money made inquiries she found that the story of the hotel deal was untrue. “Some of the people defrauded by Napier were elderly, two are over 73. He would meet these persons and by his smooth talk persuade them he could turn their savings into profit.” said Mr Gaines. “The amounts directly involved in false pretences amounted to £2163 8s 3d, but the amount involved in uttering the fofged documents was much in excess.” he said. “Napier, having obtained moneys by dubious means, attempted to put the day of reckoning off by uttering the forged documents which made it appear that he was in a sound financial position.”

Hospital Visits.— The Christchurch Returned Services’ Association last year made a total of 4936 hospital visits. Of these 3057 were made to the Christchurch Public Hospital, 925 to Burwood Hospital, and 954 to private hospitals. During Christmas 139 visits were made to the mental hospital.