FALSE PRETENCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 26 October 1928, Page 4

FALSE PRETENCES

AN UNUSUAL CASE

(By. Telegraph—Press Association)

AUCKLAND, 25th October. An unusual case came before the Magistrate Mr Hunt. this morning, when a mother and her daughter and son appeared on a charge of false pretences. Chief Detective Hammond said that the male accused was a carpenter and had been employed by the Public Works Department. Evidently with the abject of earning more money he posed as a married man, his sister and mother signing a money order on the Public Works Department. "No one has been the loser over the matter," said Mr Hammond. "Evidently the male accused thought that by making out he was a married man he would get the job, and probably more money." Mr J. ; X Sullivan, who appeared for the trio, said there had been poverty in the family. The male accused had only worked for the Public Works Department for three weeks "when he became ill. It was oidy his wages that his sister and mother had signed for, so that he had not got any money that he was not entitled to. Counsel suggested that the cases were not serious, and asked for leniency. "There is this about it," said the Magistrate, "that he might have deprived another married man of a job." The accused were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The Magistrate ordered the suppression of defendants' names.

"MAKING A HABIT OF IT" PALMERSTON N;, This Day. Stating that accused had apparently been making a habit of this class of offence, and that a severe penalty was necessary, Mr Stout, S.M., sent Albert Frederick Clarke, with several aliases, to gaol for a year, to be followed by two years' reformative detention, for false pretences. Accused issued a valueless cheque to a local storekeeper, receiving a loaf of bread and over £7 in change. The police stated that since 1921 accused had been going about the eountry committing similar offences, having been convicted eleven times.