FALSE MONEY

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 64, Issue 128, 3 July 1934, Page 11

FALSE MONEY

(Per Press Association.)

DETECT1VES' F1NDJN AUCKLAND | 1 SEVERAL ARRESTS, MADE

AUCKLAND, Last night. An elaborate counterfeitipg b plant, a quantity df spurious halfcrowns and florins and two air pistols were foynd by ,a papty of detectives who carried out a raid on a house in Orakei road, Remuera, this morning. The three means of access to the house were covered by various members of the party. Entry was gained without difficulty, and in the back part of the house two young men were found in a room bearing a close resemblance to a laboratory. One youth was allowed to leave, Tbe pplice found on a stove a cru-r cible containing molten metal. Other equipment.in the room included a r.umber of plaster-of-Paris moulds, a quantity of metal and a blow-lamp. Lying on a bench near was an air pistol, ivhile a search disclosed ahout 40 counterfeit half-croivns, as. well as some 30 similar coins in an unfiiiished condition. A seeond air pistol. ..was found in the kitchen. A search of the house was made by detectives. In a front room betweep the mattresses of a bed they found ahout 100 counterfeit flqrins, which, lilce some of the half-croAvns, were up- ' finished. All the- eoins, as well- as the lcomplete plant, were seized hy the detectives and removed. While the search was in progress an Alsatian, which had been cbained up, became loose qnd made its way into tbe house. A few minutes later neigbbours, who had been taking- a keen interest in the proceedings from a distance, saiv tbe dog run from the house at full speed, being dosely pursued by a detectiye-sergeant armed with a pitchfork. Three members of one family, the father, mother afld son, were awested. All three will appear in the Police Court to-morrow, the two men being charged with having in their possession without lawful excnse a moiild intended to" make the .resemblance of hoth sides of a current silver-coin. The woman will be charged with havinfg in her possession three or pqore pieces of counterfeit silver coin knowing such coin to be counterfeit and with intent to utter it.