ALLEGED FRAUD

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 April 1934, Page 7

ALLEGED FRAUD

SEQUEL TO HOTEL FIRE

[FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

DUNEDIN, April 13.

Alexander Robert Spence and his wife, Margaret Spence, appeared m the Police Court before Mr, H. W. Bundle, S.M., to answer charges related to transactions stated to have taken place following a fire at an hotel on November 21 last. The accused were jointly charged that, with intent to defraud, they falsely represented that in a fire at the Ranfurly Hotel on November 21 certain articles were destroyed' and that they attempted to obtain £lOOO from the Royal Exchange Corporation. Spence was charged that on November 23, 1933, at Ranfurly, he made a declaration that would amount to perjury if made on oath in a judicial proceeding, namely, a declaration that “during the evening most of the time was occupied by the playing of cards in the kitchen. It was impossible to save anything out of the building . . . Other than these small fires, 1 have never had a previous fire.”

Spence was also charged that on November 29 he made a declaration that would amount to perjury by falsely stating that the goods mentioned in the first charge were destroyed in the fire at the Ranfurly Hotel on November 21, 1933. Margaret Spence was charged that on November 29 she made a declaration that would amount to perjury under similar circumstances to those mentioned in the charges against the other accused.

The accused pleaded not guilty and were committed for trial at the Supremo Court. Bail was allowed on accuseds’ own recognisance of £2OO on each charge.