AUCTIONEER THEFTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 19, 22 July 1939, Page 25

AUCTIONEER THEFTS

FALSE ACCOUNT SALES

SIX CHARGES HELD PROVED

(By Telegr ' -Prels Association;)

PALMERSTQN N., July 21,

In the Supreme Court John' Richards ] and Arthur Haines, .auctioneers, Palm- .] ergton North, were found guilty on six : charges of rendering false account 1 sales, and one charge of fraudulently omitting to account for part of the proceeds of the.sale of fruit, thereby committing ; theft. They were found not guilty on the remaining 11 charges of a similar nature. Richards is company manager-of the Dominion Auctioneering Co., Palmerston North, and a licensed auctioneer. Haines is an employee of the firm and also a licensed Seller.. \ ' • ,: ■■ -:' ~ - • ' In March certain fruit growers in fastings: complained to the police that the Dominion Auctioneering Co. was advising them that their fruit brought ■ a lower price in the firm's mart than it had actually, done. As a result of these complaints certain of the growers and a detective attended the mart during the fruit sales arid took notes of the prices the produce brought. On arriyal home they' made comparisons 'with the prices on the advice notes and foimd,- according to witnesses, lower ones quoted. The police then visited the firm's offices and took charge of certain books and files in order to conduct an investigation, the result of < which,, according to the police evidence, showed that it was a general practice, in advising clients of the re- • suits of sales of produce, to underquote , the selling price. - Both the accused were remanded for sentence.