ALLEGED FRAUD

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 83, 2 January 1930, Page 3

ALLEGED FRAUD

SYDNEY BUSINESS MEN ARRESTED 1 COMPANY’S OPERATIONS INVESTIGATED Sydney, December 31. A sensation was Caused by a detective raid ou the offices of the Property Insurance Company, Ltd., Pitt Street, and the arrest of John Gunn, managing director, and William J. Beckett, director, who later were charged with conspiring, between January -1, 1927. and December 27, 1929, to defraud members of the public. The police stated that the sum of £150,000 was believed,to be involved. A. detective had been for some 'weeks investigating the formation and operations of the compaay, which began business in 1927 with an authorised capital of £200.000. His work was done so quietly that the staff were dumbfounded when their labours were, suddenly interrupted by the entry of detectives and police, who took away books and papers considered needful for the prosecution’s' purposes.

Gunn for many years was in legal practice in Sydney, and Beckett was connected with Beckett's Newspapers. A third man. Allan Fraser Howden, was also before the Court in connection with the same charge. All were remanded to January 6. Bail was allowed.