“VERY BOLD SCHEME”

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 120, 6 February 1923, Page 9

“VERY BOLD SCHEME”

CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD ALMOST DISTINGUISHED CRIMINALS Percy Dowling Hawkins, William Holland Makin,. and Leonard Wolter Makin appeared before Mr. Justice Chapman in th?' Supreme Court yesterday for sentence on 18 charges of forgery. in connection with stolen Government cheques. Mr. L. Etherington (New Plymouth) represented the Makins. Mr. A. Blair, who previously defended Hawkins, apologised for unavoidable absence. His Honour said that he had very . carefully considered what ho ought to ’ do with the prisoners, who owed, as he did himself, a doty. to counsel for the way in which the inner facts of the scheme had been presented. lie intended to draw a distinction between Hawkins and the Makins, but would make no distinction between tho Makins themselves. It was true that tho scheme had originated with the younger Makin, but th© fact that the older man had not used his control to prevent the scheme made him equally culpable. It was a very bold scheme, which, had it met with even pai tjal success, might have secured the originators a reputation that would have recorded their names amongst those of distinguished, criminals. .they would have made a coup, so to speak, that would have placed them amongst the successful perpetrators of highly specialised and ingenious frauds. But the bad aspect, to His Honour’s mind, was that the whole affair was the result of a carefully conducted conspiracy, worked out 'in imitation of the “great criminals” of whom ono might read in popular books, into. a. scheme of extensive fraud in both islands. It had been said that they were young men of former social position, men who held responsible positions. Observing that he must deal • with the Makins as ordinary criminals, His Honour sentenced them, each to two years’ imprisonment with bald labour. As for Hawkins, who was drawn into the scheme, while tha others directlv originated it, ho would be ordered detention for reformative purposes for twelve months.