Fines Of $2500 For False Pretences

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31907, 7 February 1969, Page 20

Fines Of $2500 For False Pretences

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 6. After a retirement of five hours a jury in the Supreme Court at Auckland today found Lewis William Bennett guilty of five charges of false pretences.

He was found not guilty of 13 other charges of false pretences.

Bennett, aged 41, a company manager, of Whangarei, had pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which related to hire-purchase agreements on

motor-vehicles and involved a total of $6539. Mr Justice Woodhouse imposed a fine of $2500—5500 on each of the charges on which Bennett had been found guilty. His Honour said Bennett had defied the hire-purchase regulations, in his opinion on a wholesale basis, and in doing this had assigned to the finance company worthless securities. The breach of faith was a serious matter, his Honour said. The disregard for the controls, which everybody else had to accept and which were essential for the preservation of the country’s finances, was in his view worse. His Honour said he had to mark the serious view that he should take of commercial activity of this sort.

Mr J. B. Sinclair and Mr M. A. Armstrong appeared for Bennett and Mr E. R. Winkel for the Crown.

Salute Fired.—A 21-gun salute was fired by the Point Jerningham saluting battery at noon yesterday to mark the anniversary of the accession to the Throne of Queen Elizabeth 11.—(P.A.)