CONVICTION LIST 40

Press, Volume C, Issue 29604, 29 August 1961, Page 21

CONVICTION LIST 40

Six Months For Fraud (N.Z. Press Association) INVERCARGILL, August 28. A 51-year-old labourer who in the Invercargill Magistrate's Court today had his fortieth conviction entered against him was sent to prison for six months. Before Mr J. K. Patterson, S.M., was Thomas McNeil, who pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining credit by fraud. “I know the list doesn’t look too good,” McNeil told Mr Patterson while he read through the two police record cards on which the accused’s convictions were entered “But I have been keeping out of mischief for some time now.” he said. Mr Patterson: But you got seven days in Dunedin this month. McNeil: Oh, that was only for drunkenness. Outlining the police case. Detective Constable K. G. Jeffries told the Court that on Friday night McNeil hired a taxi at Bluff to travel to Invercargill, but on arriving had no money with which to pay the driver. He promised to send a gold nugget from his gold mine in Central Otago as payment for the taxi fare, but the driver was not imoressed with the offer, said Mr Jeffries. Accused then offered his suitcase as security. The driver did not accent this but delivered him at the police station. The accused had 39 previous convictions and was a oest to the community, said Detective Jeffries. To the Magistrate. McNeil said he did not think that he had hired a taxi. “I thought ■it was a private car,” he said. He asked for another chance.