GOODS ON CREDIT

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 22, 26 July 1933, Page 3

GOODS ON CREDIT

CHARGES AGAINST DRAPER

SUPREME COU.RT TRIAL

Lengthy evidence was heard at the trial of David Rozental, alias David Boss, in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Heed and a jury on two charges of false pretences and a charge of theft. The trial began on Monday afternoon, and was not concluded until today.

The charges related to drapery lines obtained by Rozental from Reginald G. Kain's warehouse in Wellington and his branch store in Auckland, and goods from Alfred George Barton, draper, of Kilbirnie. The amount involved in the charges was £195 5s Bd. In the charges relating to Kain's goods, it was alleged by the Crown that Rozental in one case falsely represented that he was buying on behalf of J. Kerslake, auctioneer, of Masterton, and in the other ense that he represented he was Kerslake. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, and Mr. J. Meltzer appeared for Rozental. The last witness for the Crown, De; tective.R. H. Waterson, said he interviewed Rozental about the stock he obtained from Barton's drapery store in Kilbirnie. Rozental made a statement which the detective produced. In the statement Rozental said that the arrangement with Barton was that he was to sell the goods on commission of 33 1-3 per cent, on the marked prices. He said he traded under the name of Ross because people found difficulty in spelling and pronouncing his name. ACCUSED GIVES EVIDENCE. Mr. Meltzer put Rozental into the witness-box. The accused, who spoke in broken English, said ho was a draper and was 23 years of age. His defence was that it had been his practice for some little time to sell goods by auction. He believed that the business relationship between him and Mr. Korslake, auctioneer, of Masterton, was such that he considered himself quite within his rights in giving Mr. Kerslake's name when ordering goods from Kain's warehouses in Wellington and Auckland. When he was arrested In Rotorua he had £74 in his possession. It had been his intention to work back to Wellington and he would have settled up his accounts. As far as Barton's stock was concerned, he was to receive 331-3 per cent, commission on the marked prices. There was no arrangement as to when the settlement was to be made. He had sold all Barton's stock, and he intended settling up with Mr. Barton on his return- to Wellington. Although he had bought goods in Air. Kerslake's name, he denied he had represented ; that his name was Kerslake. Mr. Justice Reed asked Rozental if it was his habit to put a reserve price on the goods sold at auction. Rozental said he used to give instructions that the goods were to be sold above the cost price. Replying to his counsel, Rozental said it was true some of the goods were sold at a loss, but he thought the good profit he made on other lines would make good the losses. The goods were not sold at a loss with any intention of defrauding Kain. Mr. Meltzer addressed the jury this morning for an hour and a half. Ha was followed by Mr. Macassey, after which his Honour summed up. The jury retired at 12.17 p.m. and returned after the luncheon adjournment with a verdict of guilty on all counts and a recommendation to leniency on account of the prisoner's' age.