ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

Evening Star, Issue 21934, 22 January 1935, Page 8

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

THE CHEAP TOBACCO CASE Ellwood Cuthbertson (25) wa* charged before Mr Bartholomew, S.M., to-day with obtaining from David Wallace Cochrane, at Invercargill, on January 17, £2 in money-by falsely representing he had tobacco for sale, and also with being idle and disorderly, in that lie had insufficient lawful means of support. Mr C. J. L. White appeared for the accused. Detective-sergeant Doyle: This man was only arrested yesterday afternoon, and 1 ask for a remand until Wednesday next. There are numerous charges pending. Mr White: The case is likely to b» defended, sir, and I ask for bail. The Detective-sergeant: Cuthbertson was released from Paparua prison on January 8 after serving a sentence of two years on twelve charges of false pretences. He came to Dunedin and stayed at an hotel here, and advertised in * several country newspapers the liquidation sale of tobacco stocks at prices that were 35 per cent, below manufacturing costs. He opened n bank account under an assumed name and secured a Post Office box under another name. Numerous people in country districts forwarded orders and money and received nothing. I certainly object to bail. Mr Bartholomew : I see that he is still on license. His sentence does not nominally expire until May next. Mr White: There is another version of the matter that will be put before the court at the proper time. As far as the charge that these people have been taken down is concerned, I understand that the whole of the money 13 intact, and that those who have participated will lose nothing. _ A leading business man of the city is willing to go bail for Cuthbertson, and if he 13 ordered to report twice daily to the police there is no risk of his disappearing. Mr Doyle: There is a very large registered mail awaiting him, and all this money is under his control. He admits that this money and the amount in the bank was received by him. After considering the matter, Has Worship said that lie would allow bail in self of £IOO and one surety of £IOO, conditional upon the mail being handed over to the police and the money in the bank being placed on trust pending the hearing. The accused was also directed to report twice daily to tha police.