"A BAD RECORD"

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 55, 8 March 1929, Page 11

"A BAD RECORD"

TRAIL OF BAD CHEQUES

MAGISTRATE'S COMMENT

''Curious how people'cash i;lieques," remarked Mr. I' 1. K. Hunt, S.M., at the conclusion of the case in the Magistrate's Court to-day when a labourer, Leonard Walter Corictt, aged 2'J, was charged on sis counts of obtaining money and goods by means of false pretences. The total amount involved in the charges was £39 t!s.

Corictt,, who conducted his own defence, elected to be tried by a jury. After the charges had been read he said that he would like to ask Chief Detective .Ward if any more charges were to be made against him. "Evidently there are some more cheques out," he said.

Mr. Hunt: "Well, you are the best judge of that." .

Evidence was given by Mr. E. D. Marshall, manager of the Masterton branch of the Bank of New Zealand, who said that the accused opened an account in the bank, depositing in all £2G 10s. The account was overdrawn and the bank had dishonoured, cheques totalling £H0 4s, which the accused had drawn.

During his cross-examination of the witnesses for the prosecution the accused was frequently reprimanded by the Magistrate for his manner in questioning and on several occasions Mr. Hunt told witnesses not to answer the questions, as they were "foolish."

When charged, Corlett said, "It looks to me, Sir, as if it is not worth while mo taking the case to the Supreme Court."

Mr. Hunt: "I thought that Jong ago." Corlett then elected to be dealt with summarily, and pleaded .guilty.

Chief Detective- Ward said that the accused had a bad record, and had a long list of convictions dating from the time he was 15. He was at present serving a sentence of one month's imprisonment for failing to maintain his wife. "We regard him as not quite sound mentally," concluded the Chief Detective, "but all his mentality seems to be used in defrauding other people; as nearly all his convictions are for false pretences and fraud. I think a long sentence^ would do him good."

Mr. Hunt: "He is going to get it, too."

The accused, from the dock: "I hope you give me three years so I can get out of my maintenance."

"He deliberately set out to "cheat other people," said the Magistrate when sentencing- tho accused to six months' hard labour to be followed by a period of reformative detention not to exceed two years on the first charge. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon on the remaining charge's. '