PURCHASE OF CAR

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 105, 31 October 1933, Page 15

PURCHASE OF CAR

CLAIM AFTER FIRE

FALSE PRETENCES ALLEGED

Allegations- that the accused had placed a false valuation on a motor-car in a claim for insurance by. "faking" a sale were made at the Supreme1 Court yesterday when John Phillips was charged with attempting to obtain £100 from the North Island Motor Union Insurance Company by false pretences. The Chief Justico (Sir Michael Myers) was on the Bench. The case for the prosecution was conducted by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. P. S. K. Macassey). Mr. T. P. McCarthy appeared :for the accused. ■ Mr. Macassey, in outlining the case for the prosecution, said that the accused was a salesman who had been employed by Dominion Motors, Ltd. In, March of this year he purchased a car for JL36 .and on Mai-ch 8 he sold it for £60, receiving a Willys Knight in exchange. , On March 15 an Essex car belonging to Dominion Motors was sold by the- accused to a man to whom the accused gave the name of Stenhouse. The price at which the Essex was sold was £75; £45 was paid in cash and a Willys Knight was traded in to make up the balance. The Crown alleged that the man Stenhouse was the' accused himself. Stenhouse, said Mr. Macasscy, could not be found, and nobody seemed to know anything about him except the accused. On March 22, continued Mr. Macassey, the accused alleged that ho bought back the Essex car he sold to Stenhouse, for £120. Within a few days, therefore, the car had increased in value from £75 to £120. On May 10 the accused took out an insurance proposal with the N.I.M.U. for £100. Ho stated in the proposal that he had purchased the car for £145. On May 20 the police were informed by the accused that his Essex car had been stolen. Later that day.it was found that the car had been burnt in Happy Valley Road. Before the car was set on fire various accessories were removed. On May 22 the accused made a statement to the N.I.M.U. in which he said that he had purchased the car for £145, and on May 25 signed a declaration to that effect before a Justice of" the Peace. On May 27 the accused made a formal claim for £100 from the N.I.M.U. . Mr. Macassey said that there were some peculiar features about the case. Three signatures of the man Stenhouse were available, and one of these was spelt "Stenouse." The name "Stenhouse," continued. Mr. Macassey, was■o'ne'of the names of the accused's wife. The accused , had stated that ho had paid £120 in cash for the Essex. He said that he had had that money in his pocket; that he always carried money about with him; and that he had no banking account. Evidence would show that he actually did have a banking account. Evidence along the lines indicated by Mr. Macassey was then heard. No- evidence for the defence" was called, and the jury, after a retirement of thirty minutes, brought in a verdict of guilty. : The accused was remanded for sentence until Thursday morning".