CONSPIRING TO DEFRAUD

Northern Advocate, 4 August 1932, Page 4

CONSPIRING TO DEFRAUD

NORTHERN FARMER’S LOSS. ACCUSED FOUND GUILTY. DAHLIN GIVES HIS VERSION. (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day.

The trial of Clifford Spencer Dublin, aged 37, and Reginald Clarence Williams, aged 43, on charges of conspiring with two other men to defraud George Montague Poyner, farmer and bushman, of Waiotira, of £I2OO, was concluded at the Supreme Court yesterday, before Mr, Justice Smith and a jury. There were supplementary charges of stealing £I2OO- from Poyner, and of falsely representing that they had four blocks of land for sale for the erection of glasswoi’ks at Ponsonby, thereby obtaining the security from Poyner. Addressing the jury, counsel for Dahlin said it was clear that- Dahlin was not present at Poyner’s house. That evidence could be evidence as to Thomas and Williams, whoever they might be. Power was not represented in any way as the seller of the land. It had not been shown that there were blocks of land for sale at Ponsonby. Dublin’s actions at the bank were quite open.

In an address from the dock, Dahlin said he and Williams were in business in Auckland together as bookmakers in March, April and May, 1931. He then met Thomas, whom he understood to be a superintendent of land salesmen. At the end of May he and Williams were arrested for bookmaking and fined £75 each. He could not pay without pledging some trinkets, and so he decided "to evade the police . For this purpose -he assumed the name of Power. - -

Whangarei Incidents

A week before the alleged happenings at Whangarei he met Thomas, who said if accused could get a motor ear he could put some employment in .his way. Accused went to Williams’ home and borrowed the car owned by Mrs. Williams. He then met Thomas, who had Hammond and Vallanee with him, and they drove to Whangarei, At Whangarei Thomas said he had a client in the back country, and with Hammond, drove away, leaving accused and Vallanee behind. Accused was an employee only. On the Friday night, in the Settlers’ Hotel at Whangarei, he was introduced to a man named Howell, who, after • writing something, told him to go to the post office and post some letters. Later Thomas instructed him to go to Dargaville, giving him a cheque to cash. He returned and gave Thomas the cash and remittance slip. Later they drove': backto- Auckland where, at Thomas’ instructions he drew £2OO for Thomas and made, out other cheques, one for £560, payable to Howell, and another for £39, payable to one Townsend. He himself received £2O from Thomas for his services and the use of the car, and since then had seen nothing of the other j four men.

Remand for Sentence. Counsel for Williams.submitted that there was no evidence against Williams on any of the counts in the indictment. In a conspiracy charge there must be some proof of agreement. The jury must remember’ also that the Crown Solicitor had stated that Poyner could not identify Wil-■ iiams or Dahlin in. the identification parade at Whangarei. His Honour said it was quite plain that Poyner intended to part with his cheque, so that theft did not exist. It rarely happened that conspiracy could be established by direct evidence, but evidence of individual acts were there to enable them to conclude whether there had been any conspiracy or not. On the charge of conspiring to defraud both accused were found guilty, the charge of theft being disregarded. They, were remanded for.' sentence until' the end of the criminal session.