COMMISSION AGENT GETS GAOL

Northern Advocate, 30 November 1936, Page 5

COMMISSION AGENT GETS GAOL

SEQUEL TO WHANGAREI CASE

C Special to "Nortnern Advocate .”l AUCKLAND, This Day.

A plea by counsel that Albert Edward Hamilton, commission agent, who appeared for sentence in the Supreme Court this morning on a charge of obtaining credit by fraud from a Whangarei taxi-driver should be admitted to probation or fined, provided he made restitution, was not accepted by Mr Justice Fair. His Honour sentenced prisoner to nine months’ imprisonment. This, he said, had been a case of deliberate dishonesty, and prisoner must be punished as a warning to others. To allow people who are able to repay money dishonestly obtained to escape punishment would be an unfortunate state of affairs, said his Honour, Mr Winter, who appeared for Hamilton, said that only a small amount was involved in the offence, but, unfortunately, the prisoner had a lengthy list of previous convictions. Hamilton had had a position offered him, which promsed to be permanent. He was at present undergoing a sentence imposed on him for a comparatively trifling theft. Counsel submitted that if the prisoner offered restitution, the Court should impose a fine or probation at the expiration of the present term. Mr R. Meredith, for the Crown, said he could not endorse the suggestion for probation. His Honour said the prisoner apparently preferred a life of idleness and dishonesty to living honestly. He had a record of some 13 previous offences, commencing in 1920.