FALSE PRETENCES.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2695, 13 July 1923, Page 2

FALSE PRETENCES.

advertising canvasser in TROUBLE.

An elderly man named Walter Mercer, described as a printer, and well known both in Australia and New Zealand as a canvasser, appeared before Messrs. A. J. Geary and Small, j-s.P., at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to answer eight charges of false pretences. The informations alleged that Mercer, had called on several business people in Feilding during February and March last, and induced them to purchase advertising space on menu cards, which he proposed to have printed and placed in the local hotels. The menu cards were neverprinted, and the police alleged that the accused never intended to carry out his portion of the contract, and had thereby obtained money under false prefaces. The sum involved amounted to £l2 10/-.

Sergeant Cahill, who conducted the prosecution, called the local business men who had paid in full or a deposit for their advertisements, and each told the Court the circumstances surrounding t'hcir entering into the contract. Mercer had told them that he had arranged with the proprietors of certain hotels for the menu to be placed in the dining halls, but this was denied by three of the proprietors. Through his counsel, Mr. J. Power, Mercer denied the charge, but admitted that he had entered into the contracts and stated that' he had handed the printing over to a local printer who was to complete the work. Two days after handing the work over,. Mercer left the town for Napier, andj received a shock when arrested on j Saturday last on the charges of false pretences. He thought that the work had been completed and was uudei that impression when he left file town. The Bench decided to call the printer concerned, and in answer to questions, he stated that Mercer had arranged all about the printing, but had nor given any directions as to the number of cards to be printed. He had expected to hear from Mercer as to how many cards were required, ana

as this advice was not forthcoming-, he -could not go on with the worK. Mercer had left tlire e contract I'oims for various amounts to cover the cost of printing and on completion of the work witness was to collect the balance of the money promised under tho contracts signed by the local business people. Mercer told his story in the witness box, and said that he had told the printer how many were to be done (30), and had left his address. Pie also stated that he had been in tho particular line of business for some years, and produced tangible evidence of his work in other towns.

Tho Court found the accused guilty and lined him £5 and ordered him to refund the sum of £l2 10/-, which be hod received from the business people and to pay the costs of the prosecution, in. detault two months’ imprisonment. Mercer was allowed one month in which to find.the money