MECHANIC TO BE TRIED: ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22698, 24 July 1948, Page 6

MECHANIC TO BE TRIED: ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 24. The longest hearing to be taken in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, for many years, was concluded late yesterday anernoon when Freeman Ronald Raine, aged 26, motor mechanic, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on seven charges of obtaining money by false pretences. Accused pleaded not guilty to all charges and also to four charges of theft of motor cars on which he was committed to flie Supreme Court for trial on Thursday. A fifth charge of theft was dismissed and the police withdrew an eighth charge of fraud. Over 100 Witnesses Called

Just over 100 witnesses were called by the police in connection with both sets of charges and the typing of their evidence occupied four full days. For the defence, Mr. W- J. Stacey submitted that in respect of four charges alleging the defrauding of the Traders’ Finance Corporation there was no evidence that there was in fact not a valid security, and no proof that the defendant was the one who might have defrauded the corporation. After hearing further submissions by Senior-Detective G. E. Callaghan the magistrate, Mr. J. S. Hanna, ruled that a prime facie ease had been made out in all cases. Conditions of Bail

Mr. Stacey then asked for bail to be renewed on the previous sureties of £2OO for self and one bond for £2OO, but asked that the condition of reporting daily to the police be relaxed to a maximum of once a week. Nearly three months had to elapse before the trial and the accused had his home and family in Wellington as bars to his evasion of bail, said counsel. He also required to make one or two trios on business matters to Auckland-Senior-Detective Callaghan strenuously opposed any variation in tho original terms and made reference to tho ramifications of the offences alleged against the accused. The magistrate finally renew’d the sureties and ordered the accused to report to the police every Tuesday and Saturday.