VALUELESS CHEQUE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1931, Page 11

VALUELESS CHEQUE

MERCHANTS DECEIVED

Domestic trouble and drink was said to bo the cause of .Frederick Simeon Lectc, confectioner,- aged 36, appearing before Mr. Ji. Pa'go,.'S.M., to-day on a charge of obtaining £11 13s (id from Bannatyue and Hunter by means of a false pretence.

Sub-Inspector Ward said that for some lime past the accused had a small confectionery shop in the city, mid his wife had a similay shop at Kilbirnie. They owed the firm of Bannatyne and Hunter £S 10s b'd, and on Monday last the accused called at tho company's office and tendered a cheque for £20 4s. Believing thu cheque to be genuine, tho firm cashed it and gave the accused the change. When it was presented at the bank it was found that the accused had no account there. The accused was interviewed and admitted that he had filled in the cheque. It appeared that there had been some domestic trouble in the case and the accused had put. his wife's initials on the cheque.

Counsel for the accused, Mi1. 0. C. Mazengarb, said there was no intention on tho part of Leeth to defraud the linn. Domestic trouble had resulted in the accused leaving home, and he considered that money, hig wife had in her account belonged partly to him. He thought that by presenting a. cheque in bis own name and carrying the initials of his wife tho bank would present it to her and that she would meet.it. It was true that the -accused had been drinking since last Thursday or Friday. Ho had adopted this means to force his wife to give him some money.

' The Probation-.Officer (Mr. T. P. Mills) said he was not favourably impressed by the accused,- who appeared to be a very difficult man to handle.

The Magistrate said he would take into consideration the fact that this was the accused's first offence, and admitted him to probation fdr a period of two years. Mr. Page made a condition that the accused should take out a prohibition order against himself and ■ also that ho should repay the money to Bannatyne and Hunter ;it. a rate to be fixed by the Probation Oflicer. ANOTHER CASE. Stealing a cheque-book from the office of a friend in Palmerston North, James St. Clair Williamson issued five valueless cheques before he was arrested in Wellington recently. In this way he obtained "oods and money of a total value of £23 10s.

When-'Williamson, a salesman, aged 26, appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., to-day ho was remanded until Friday week for sentence. His counsel, Mr. J. Mr-ltzer, suggested that the accused's mental condition might be investigated.