VALUELESS CHEQUES

Evening Star, Issue 22688, 30 June 1937, Page 10

VALUELESS CHEQUES

YOtiNG MAN'S BAB RECORD PRISON AFTER LIFE OF LUXURY “ For a young man the accused has an, exceptionally bad record of false pretences. He seems to have something of a mania in that direction. Perhaps ho realises that there are so many fools in the world that it is easy to obtain a living in this way,” said Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Police Court this morning, in sentencing Elwood Cuthbertson (28) to six months’ imprisonment for issuing valueless cheques. Cuthbertson admitted that he falsely represented to Anna Kathleen Treacy that two cheques for £lO, drawn by himself on the Commercial Bank of Australia, were Valid. Chief-detective Young said that Cuthbertson obtained possession of two old cheque forms. He made them both out for £lO, and cashed them on June 10 and 12 with the complainant, who was the licensee of the Gladstone Hotel. She knew his parents, and it was for this reason that she accepted them. Cuthbertson had no account in the bank. He was subsequently arrested in Christchurch. “ This young man appears to be determined to lead a life of fraud,” added the Chief Detective. “ He has a long list of convictions. Your Worship will recall that about two years ago he was sentenced for fraud in connection with the sale of tobacco.”

For the accused, Mr C. J. L. White said he came of an eminently respectable family. "When-he was quite young he received two substantial legacies, one before he was 21, and the other on attaining his majority. This completely turned his head. He began to keep racehorses, and lived in great style and luxury. It was this that led to his downfall. When he first appeared before the court he wins sentenced te a term of imprisonment, and was never given a chance of probation. • Mr Bartholomew: When he first appeared' it was on 12 charges.

Mr White said that he was not aware of that. While Cuthbertson was in ■ prison he developed an ulcerated stomach, , and this complaint still troubled him. Appeals were made on his behalf by a Minister of the Crown, and he was released from prison, going to a Public Works job in Auckland. He then went to Christchurch to make arrangements to take his wife to Auckland, and took ill there. He subsequently spent two months in the Southland Hospital, and then came to Dunedin with the intention of heading north again for Auckland, where his job was still open. While he was here he went on a drinking bout and cashed the cheques. “If the people who cashed the cheques knew his parents they must have known of his previous trouble, for a great deal of publicity was given to the tobacco fraud,” said Mr White. “ They were simply looking for trouble. One cannot but be amazed at the remarkable facility with which cheques can be cashed in this way.” “ For a young man the accused has an exceptionally bad record of false pretences,” said the Magistrate. “In all there have been 30 such charges preferred against him. He seems to have something of a mania _in that direction. Perhaps he realises that there are so many fools in the world that • it is easy to obtain a living in this way. He will be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each charge, the terms to be concurrent.”