BOGUS DOCTOR

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 148, 19 March 1931, Page 11

BOGUS DOCTOR

Head of Relief Hospital INCURRED TAXI DEBT Convicted and Fined Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, March 18. For accepting appointment as a medical practitioner at the temporary hospital at the earthquake refugee camp at Palmerston North showgrounds, when he was not registered as such, Robert Cecil Thompson, a dispenser, aged 32 years, of Wellington, was fined £lO by Air. J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. On a charge of incurring a debt of £6. and obtaining credit by fraud, accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within twelve months if called upon. A charge of practising medicine under the title of doctor when not registered, was dismissed. Mr. Cooper appeared for accused, and pleaded not guilty to the three charges. Detective Russell said that the accused had arrived in Palmerston North from Napier on' February 6. On the following day he had approached the managing secretary of the Palmerston North Hospital Board representing himself as Dr. Thompson. The hospital wanted medical men, and after n conference with Dr. Ward, Air. Phillips sent accused to the showgrounds to take charge of the hospital. , Evidence was given by a taxi driver, Sydney T. Afunn, that accused had asked him to drive him to the showgrounds, stating that he was Dr. Thompson, in charge of the camp hospital. Accused had said that he would ’give him a letter to the Hospital Board authorising payment of the hire. . , Accused in evidence said that he had not represented himself as a T oc J' or ; neither had he done any dressings. He had had considerable experience in dressings and the administration of anaesthetics, in English hospitals. He had no intention of defrauding the taxi driver. In convicting accused his Worship stated that he thought that it was quite clear that the taxi driver would not have taken accused to Wellington had he not represented himself to be a medical practitioner. If he had been an honest man he would not have imposed on the taxi driver, and gone by train.