VALUELESS CHEQUES

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1937, Page 5

VALUELESS CHEQUES

YOUNG MAN’S OFFENCES. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, March 11. "Eight charges of obtaining goods and money to a. total value of £2O were admitted by Ronald Hope, a labourer, 23, when he appeared before the Magistrate (Mr. .E. C. Levvey, S.M.). in the Magistrate’s Court today.

The offences were committed at Napier, Chief-Detective Dunlop explained. Hope was working at a Public Works Department camp and while there he came in contact with the business people of Napier. He was operating a bank account, and when it became overdrawn he commenced to issue valueless cheques. When he had collected a considerable sum of money he left Napier with a young woman, whom he married in Christchurch. There was not much chance of Hope making restitution. In 1935 Hope .was before the Court on two charges of theft, the chiefdetective continued. He was sentenced to nine months’ reformative detention on one and on the other he was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within two years. The only thing that could be said in Hope’s favour was that after he married the girl in Christchurch he thought there might be trouble over the valueless cheques and gave himself up to the police. At that time the police had not heard of the offences. Remarking that he would like a report from the Probation Officer, the Magistrate remanded Hope until March 18. Bail was allowed in self £lOO on condition that he reported daily to the police.