BAREFACED FRAUD.

Northern Advocate, 7 February 1925, Page 4

BAREFACED FRAUD.

TWELVE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. AUCKLAND, This Day. At the Supreme Court charges against Edward Jack Cromer of passing valueless cheques were dealt with, prisoner having pleaded not guilty to two counts, that he obtained from Norman Wilde £5, and from Louis Engene Kelleher, £3 10s by means of valueless cheques. Norman Wilde stated he cashed a cheque for £5 on September 12. It was returned by the bank. Witness ' denied that he had said that if the money was repaid he would withdraw proceedings. After he had put the matter in the hands of the police the £5 was repaid to him.

Alfred William Knighij clerk at the Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, stated that accused opened an account with a deposit of £3 on March 7, 1924. Ho paid into that account £96 18/9. The whole amount was drawn out and the account closed on September 8, 1924. Quite a number of cheques by the accused had been dishonoured, totalling £308 17s 9d.

Louis Eugene Kelleher stated that a cheque for £3 10s was cashed for accused by his firm. The cheque was returned marked "account closed. Commercial Bank, Wellington." Prior to that accused had called to ask if the cheque had proved all right. William Charles Edward Rohmer, of the Commercial Bank, stated that the account of the accused was cloned when the cheque was drawn. Accused elected not to give evidence, and in his address to the jury said, when the £5 was repaid to Wilde, it was understood proceedings were to be withdrawn. He claimed there was no intent to defraud Mr Wilde. In respect to the cheque for £3 10s, accused claimed that the fact he went back to the linn to ask if the cheque was all right showed he had not given a cheque he knew to be valueless.

Tlie jury found accused guilty on both counts. "You have not been long in New Zealand, Ifut you have made the most of your time," said Mr Justice Herdman when passing sentence. "It may be some satisfaction to the jury to know you have been convicted previously for being unlawfully in possession of fire arms and ammunition. On t.he 29th of June, 1922, at Wellington, you were also sentenced to six months for breaking and entering and theft. You were dealt with leniently on that occasion. Now you have been convicted on the clearest possible evidence, of obtaining money by means of valueless cheques. T shall not deal-

with you sevorelv as you are a young man* but having regard to your previous record you will be sentenced to .12 months' imprisonment with hard labour.''