ALL ACQUITTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 51, 2 March 1937, Page 15

ALL ACQUITTED

CAR COMPETITION

JURY'S RECOMMENDATION

After a trial which lasted Six days, it took the jury approximately^ an hour and a half- late yesterday, afternoon to bring in a verdict of not guilty.on all counts in the car competition case, and the three accused, Harold Fairchild Pobar, an agent, Bertram Egley, a com-pany-secretary, and Hannath -Noel Blake Marshall, a company- director were discharged. ' ...

The jury added a rider recommending that all future competitions of a similar nature should be placed under proper Government supervision.

The principal charge was that between June 22, 1935, and March 31, 1936, the accused conspired with, one another in Wellington and other places, to defraud such persons as should ,be induced to purchase tickets in a. skill test competition by falsely representing that a car was available as a prize, without disclosing the. fact that .the. car was subject to. an instrument by way of security,, securing, the principal sum of -£'450, and by falsely ..representing that the car was new and being kept sealed.: ■ There were four other, charges.that.the three accused; by : the same false' pretences, as; stated/in' the. first charge; obtained... from,: John Leitch 25.6 d,: from John Johnston Henderson 6d on-two occasions^ and from Henry Gasteiri sums totalling .'£l. .'," :

The Grown Prosecutor (Mr.. W. H, Cunningham); and Mr. C...Evans-Scott conducted the Crown, case,.Mr. H. F. O'Leary, K.C., and Mr. T. P.: McCarthy, appeared'for Marshall,- Mr. ; A..H. Macandrew for Egley, and Pobar conducted his own defence. ■ ; '

The jury was exempted from further service for twelve months. ■•■