COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1933, Page 8

COURT NEWS

SWEEPSTAKE CONCESSIONS. ALLEGATION OF FRAUD. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON. May 13. To-day was the first occasion for a long time that there was a sitting of the Supreme Court at Wellington on a Saturday afternoon. At the luncheon adjournment at one p.m. a man was on trial for false pretences before Mr. Justice Blair and a jury, and the case was not completed. It was decided to resume at 2.15. Accused, Ernest Matthiew Finlayson, was charged that by false pretences he obtained £25 from John Edgar Wade, manufacturer, in business at Auckland. It was alleged that Finlayson made false representations in connection with the transactions of Concessions Ltd, a Wellington company, formed with the object of obtaining concessions from foreign countries for sweepstakes. His Honour said he was very loath to disturb the jurymen’s Saturday afternoon, but he personally would like to go on with the case that afternoon. However, he did not want to impose his wishes on them. He had to leave for the South on Monday night, and the question was whether it would be a safe assumption that the case would be finished in time if the hearing was not resumed till Monday morning. The foreman said he had the other jurymen, and they would prefer to go on. His Honour said he was obliged to the jury. Lengthy evidence from the Crown still remains to be heard.