FALSE PRETENCES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 September 1925, Page 9

FALSE PRETENCES

VALUELESS CHEQUES ISSUED

OPERATIONS IN EiLTHAM

Journeying from town to town, Rich ard Edward Ellis, alias AT. AY. Munro. found that by filling in cheque fonm and presenting them to unsuspecting •tradesmen, he could secure the necessaries of life and a few of its luxuries. This method o/f living lie per sued foi some time, evading capture by a ;serie of smart get-away®. . Finally he caiim to reisib in Auckland, and there at i>. reported that his landlady -whisperer certain words to. 'the police, as the result of which Ellis is now again visiting the towns in which he operated recently, but this time under police escort. At earth town he comes before r magistrate or a J.P. to a newer numerous charges in which valueless cheques figure. To-day, Ellis appeared at Eltham. where he was changed on two count: with issuing valueless cheque® for eum: oif £l2 3s and £ll 2s respectively. Sergeant J. Henry, of Hawera, conducted the case and accused, who pleaded guilty, had “nothing to -say.’ After the Sergeant had; outlined the oa/se, AVillliam Arthur Ne/wton, clerk pi the Bank of New South AV-aleis, Ha wena, stated in evidence that he remembered the /accused calling on June 17 and asking to open an account. A< eused stated that hit name was Alorrh William. ATuniro, that he was -a skip buyer from AYa-inaraipa land he had came over to have iai look round the district. A cheque for £25, drawn on the Blank of New South. AVales, Garterton, was then produced. The cheque was /signed by Ethel Al. Alunro anc ■made payable to AI. AV. Muliro, o: order. Acioused -gave witness te understand thiat it waq -his mother’® cheque, and stated that all Ms family had been /in the iskin buying business. An account was accordingly opened and i •cheque book issued, but witness warned accused, as a matter of form, not to issue any cheques until the Carterton cheque had been cleared. Subsequently it was found -thiat there wa: no /account under the name of Btlie M. Miunro. On June 18, a cheque foi £l2 3s, signed by AI. W. Alunro: was received from the Eltham brand of the Bank of New South AVales L/ate-r, another cheque signed -similarly, was received.

Lear Page, a salesman employed bj H(a-llensteiin Bros., El/tha-m, told how accused tendered him the cheque foi £ll 2s. Goods were purchased anc! change amounting to £8 7s 6d was pale' over.

Stewart Campbell Dunbar, manager at the Coronation Hotel, said that on June 17 accused Iliad ia> drink in the bar, and made arrangements to board for a week. A cheque for £l2 3s wa: presented, accused stating that he wa-'-•a farm labourer /and the cheque wuwfor the .amount o/f his wages. The cheque was enodnsed by -accused and change amounting to £8 19s Gel wa: •handed over. Sergeiant Henry said that there were ia. number of other charges pending again/srt' accused, and /aw Christchurch would be the last place he would appear at on these charges, it would facilitate matters if he were committed for /sentence there. Accused was accordingly committed for /sentence to the Supreme Court. Christchurch. Accused's next appearance will ho at Palmerston Nol’t-h.