“AN ABSOLUTE CURSE”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 20 June 1932, Page 4

“AN ABSOLUTE CURSE”

MAN WHO IMPOSED ON CITIZENS SIX MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT “Men of your description are an absolute curse in the country. You go about taking advantage of the fact tluat unemployment is rife, and swindle people. Men like you do injury to men who are genuinely unemployed and wish to work, for you swindle people and so induce them not to help the genuine cases. It is best for the country to keep men like you out of the way.”—Thus Mr T. E. Maunsell, S.M., addressed Albert Frederick Clark, alias Smith, at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, in sentencing him to six months' imprisonment on a charge of being a rogue and vagabond, Clark having imposed on Walter John Moffatt (Mayor of Nelson), and so obtained £1 by talsely representing that he required it for a boat fare to Wellington where he had a promise of work on the Tawa Flat Tunnel. The evidence showed that Clark had called on the Mayor three times. On the first occasion he tried to bo.row, allegedly to redeem his clothing, and the second time he stated he wished to go to Christchurch, but the Mayor had refused to assist him to do so. On the third occasion Clark stated that lie wanted £1 to get to Wellington, where he had work offered, and Mr Moffatt gave him that amount. Defendant was supposed to go to Wellington last Friday night, but was still in town on Saturday, having spent 7s of the money given him. George Barty also gave evidence of having given Clark £2 10s to redeem his clothes which were held in lieu of hoard at an hotel, and had also given him 10s as he wished to return to Christchurch where he said his wife was ill. It was only on account of the story of the sick wife that witness had given the money, which, however, had not been returned.

Defendant admitted that ho had seven previous convictions against him for false pretences.