THREE YEARS HARD

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 35, 11 February 1927, Page 8

THREE YEARS HARD

■ :. :\:bigj^o^nt:missing, '■;■;'. ■ (By Telegraph.—Press, Association:) • " DUJKEPIN/^hisvDay. : ■ -In. the Supreme ; Cburt. t,*-day Mr.' Justice ■Bee'd sentenced ; George Swarm' to. three (years. I.' hard labour on four charges of/false .pretences. ■ jMr. •A." C. Hanlori, in 4, a: plea! .'for leniency,: stated that- it had .been; said, that- sums totalling '£30,000 Lwere; involved,', but ;a search'"of the books' and papers showed that; at ■.most it'Swas* £6000 :or .£7OOO. 'The accused'came to-New'Zealand-as ;a youth-in11893.- Later he went:into: the saw-making.business, and began to obtain advances on small'sums tfor investment, and the apparent ease with which he obtained those- led him?to gather in largerl' sums' for'fraudulent I investment un.til,i-becbmirig;seri'ously -involved," he began 'robbing' Peter to ;pay Paul. Matters'became'so involved that Iri 1925 his nervous' state'caused hinv to* enter "a mental hospitaPwliere:he remained for eight months, afterwards /proceeding 'to Australia.'. c\r ~. .';<::. .:■.'".;:.'; . ■:' :. N T,he .Crown Prosecutor stated • that from a -list ■vfr.hi.chv-'ljad-"b.e'en compiled, . £ 20,000 .was believed', to ;be involved. Theimys|eryvw'as'wiere -the. moheyh'id 'disappeared ,to, ;ajid:the-C!qurt was w.ithout an explanation on this;p^int.'; , Then there "was the. nature rof .some': of ;the cases, the .taking of ;mbne3j from women. This .money..had •altogether' gone.' i.His.Honour, stated, that,the'prisoner went deiibe.rat.eJy."'tp>w6rlc'to, ingratiate himself.. and, iestaijllsh {confidence, lit' wasshWi'du'ty. to ■, inflict "'. a/heavy penalty."