QUICK TRIP FROM WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 119, 13 February 1941, Page 9

QUICK TRIP FROM WELLINGTON

Four Men Arrested

CHARGES OF FALSE PRETENCES (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 12. Four men, three of whom are understood to have come from Australia, arrived at Ashburton last night after a hurried trip from Wellington. They travelled by a specially chartered aeroplane to Blenheim, then by bus to the outskirts of Christchurch and then by a taxi to Ashburton. They were being sought by the police on charges of obtaining money by false pretences and in due course were arrested. They appeared before a special sitting of tlie Magistrates’ Court in Ashburton about F 1.30 o’clock last night, and were remanded to appear in Christchurch. They appeared here this morning and were again remanded to appear in Wellington next Wednesday. Two of the men, Edward Hughes, alias Wilson, salesman, aged 27. and 'William Birch, alias R. McGlynn, salesman and showman, also aged 27,. were charged with obtaining £55 from Zenia Grant by falsely representing that two zircons were diamonds. The other two men. Charley Ryan, alias Cooper, alias Charles Lewis Peoples, alias Maine, alias Burke, clerk, aged 25. and John Lenard, alias McGrath, alias Jack Lenard, alias Gamboll, butcher, aged 29, wore charged with obtaining £l2 in money and £2B by cheque through falsely representing that four zircons mounted in gold rings were diamonds. Yesterday morning the Christchurch police wore asked to intercept the men on their arrival by Ims at Christchurch. It was found, however, that they had left the bus before arriving in flic city. The Ashburton police were immediately advised and last night two of the mon were arrested in the street. The other two men wore Inter located in the back yard of a blacksmith's shop. The allegation is that these two men attempted to make off and climbed over two fences, but were cut off and arrested.