A "HORSE DOCTOR'

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 17, 20 January 1921, Page 5

A "HORSE DOCTOR'

EASY MONEY—AND TROUBLE,

A few, cheque forms,, a glib tongue, various assumed names, and imagination were the stock-in-trade of a young man named Patrick M'Kibbon until he was arrested a few days ago at Arrowtown, Otago, and escorted back to Wellington. He was taken before Mr. W: G. Riddell, S.M., a.tthe Magistrate's Court yesterday, and pleaded guilty to charges of forging and uttering a, cheque for £8 10s and obtaining a veterinary surgeon's outfit of instruments and goods, valued at £46 15s 6d, from Sharland and C 0.,. by means of false pretences. M'Kibbon, who claims to have qualified as a veterinary surgeon at Dublin, opened his Wellington activities by a visit to a Wellington tailor as "Mr. H. A. Clayton," and, after ordering a £15 suit borrowed a cheque form and pen and ink, explaining .that he had ieft his own cheque book at home. The suit was made up, but waa not called for. A little later he appeared at Upper Hutt, where he was introduced, still as Mr. Clayton, to the manager of the firm of J. H. Bazelwood and Co. To him he spoke of his probable appointment at the Government Veterinary Laboratory at Wallaceville, and produced the cheque he had filled in at Wellington, and asked that it should be cashed. Ho left the premises temporarily, the richer by £8 10s. His next, move was to approach Sharlmid and Co. with a tale that he, "Dr. Clayton," had given up his purely imaginary Government position at Wallaceville and intended to start business as a private veterinary surgeon at Uppeir. Hutt. He obtained various goods and instruments on that representation, undertaking to make payment on 20th January. Chief Detective Ward asked that the. accused should he convicted for sentence at the Auckland Supreme Court, as other charges had already been preferred against him in that district. To this course the Magistrate agreed.