FALSE TELEGRAM

Evening Star, Issue 20862, 4 August 1931, Page 10

FALSE TELEGRAM

JANSEN SENT TO GAOL FOR NINE MONTHS SEVERE COMMENTS BY CHIEF JUSTICE [Ter United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 4. Alfred Jansen, a restaurant proprietor, of Wanganui, found guilty last week of attempting to defraud Peter Healey of £B3 ss, and that with intent to defraud by a false pretence—a false telegram—he attempted to obtain from Healey a sum of money, was sentenced by the Chief Justice to-day to nine months' imprisonment. The accused admitted that the telegram he had handed in at To Aro Post Ollico had been taken out of the main Post and G.P.O. after its arrival there and altered by him in the tramway waiting office opposite. “ Prisoner at the Bar,” said His Honour, “ I shall take into consideration the fact that .since the verdict you have made a very full, and L believe a truthful, statement of all tbo circumstances connected with the fraud in which you participated the trial. 1 formed the opinion that tne fraud was conceived by a more cunning and acute brain than yours, and it appears clear from your statement that that opinion was correct. Nevertheless, yon were a willing tool, and you participated in the crime with your eyes , open. I shall take into consideration, however, the fact that you were not the originator of the fraudulent scheme. As I said to the grand jury last week, I have no right to express any opinion as to whether the business of a bookmaker should be legalised or whether, as now, its carrying on should bo prohibited as-au offence against the criminal law. That is a matter for fhe legislature, but I have not only the right, but the duty to |Miint out that the present surreptitious carrying on of the business of bookinaking is a festering sore in the vitals of the community, as is disclosed by the circumstances of this case and of other cases that have from time to time come before the court, it offers a premium to the perpetration of fraud and dishonesty. and, what is far worse, it is calculated to lead, as it has loci in this case, to the corrupting of officers in a most important branch of the public service.” His Honour went on to say that,the corrupting of two officers of the telegraph service he regarded as the gravamen of the offence, but ho took into consideration that it was not arranged by tho prisoner personally. While the law remained as it was its observance should be enforced. Tho term imposed was nine months.