FALSE PRETENCES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 14 September 1928, Page 3

FALSE PRETENCES

Angus Datson, a boilennaker, aged 52, appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, and pleaded guilty to two charges of false pretences, involving £9. Sub-Inspector Lander said that l)atson was employed by Srnitli and Smith, merchants, of Auckland, for some time, but left the firm at tfie end of February and went to Taranaki. He persuaded a farmer, Thomas Perry, to give him £5, on the representation that money was owing to him by Smith and Smith and that ho was representing the firm in the establishment of a branch at Hawera. Prior to this. Datson, who had with him a concrete boiler mould,had obtained £4 from Percy Martin, at New Plymouth, on the pretence of selling him one. The mould was not Datson's property, but belonged to Smith and Smith. The accused's present employer gava evidence that he had received several very high references about the accused, and' he, personally, was well satisfied with him. Mr. Cresswell, who appeared for the accused, submitted that it was not a case of deliberate wrong-doing, but oi a man having yielded to temptation, under very strong pressure. Datson. had found himself absolutely destitute, and the thought of his wife and family; iv Auckland without money had'been too much for him. He had borne a good character hitherto, and at one time had been in. the Police Force. Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., remanded Datson on bail until this morning, when a report from the Probation Officer (Mr. T. P. Mills) was presented. "This shows that the defendant haa borne an excellent character, and it is difficult to account for these stupid acts, "said Mr. Salmon. "It is. clearly a case for probation." Datson was admitted to probation for twelve months, conditional that he repays the sums of money in a satisfactory manner to the Probation Officer.