FALSE PRETENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16024, 16 September 1915, Page 5

FALSE PRETENCES.

BOY'S UNUSUAL SCHEME.

INVITATION TO WORKERS.

MYTHICAL SOAP FACTORY.

A case which presented some peculiar features came before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday, when John Cain (Mr. London), 16 years of age, was charged with obtaining 2s 6d from W. L. Wilkin, and a similar amount from L. A. Jones, by false pretences.

Chief-Detective McMahon stated that Cain had inserted the following advertisement in a newspaper: "Men, 37, wanted immediately; good men get good wages. Send stamped envelope for reply.G.H." In response to it several letters were received, and to these accused replied stating that if 2s 6d in postal notes was sent, he would give the applicant employment at once in his soap and candle factorv, at Devonport, at 10s bd per dav. packing soap and candles for stores. The work, he said, was light, and carried on under dry conditions. The 2s 6d was to pay for the advertisement. If the applicant was not satisfied with the work the money would be refunded. The letter was signed "O.H.N. Williams, G.P.0." The matter was placed in the hands of DetectiveSergeant Hollis, and eventually he found Cain at the post office. He had 42 letters and two of them, which had just been received, contained postal notes for 2s 6d. In some instances the letters were only inquiries as to the work, and there was no money enclosed. Cain informed the detective that he had no soap and candle factoi-v at Devonport, and was employed by a firm of milk vendors in Khyber Pass Road. He was only a little over 16 years of aire, and had previously been working at Papatoetoe. His people resided near Pukekohe. When arrested he stated that he had been cheated for half-a-crown, and he thought there was no harm in him trying a similar scheme. Counsel for accused said he would plead guilty. He explained that the boy ' had lived with his people until about six or eight weeks ago when he obtained employment at Onehunga at £1 5s per week. He was dismissed about three weeks ago because he was not strong enough for the work. Later he noticed an advertisement offering work and wages which could be easily obtained. He answered it, and got a reply statins: that the information would be sent if 2s 6d was forwarded. He complied, and was advised to get a short poem line "The Day" printed on cards and sell them from house to house at a penny each. If he did not like the canvassing idea he could advertise as the writer had done and sell the idea of the poem to other people for 2s 6d. The writer had advised him to always mention that the money would be returned if the other party -was not satisfied and he had always stated this. He wrote and obtained two other letters and was under the impression that the soap tnd candle factory idea and the starting of a labonr bureau had been , suggested therein. He had only secured his present position this week and the two half-crown postal notes seized by the police were the first he had received." Chief-Detective McMahon said ftat one letter had been found on Cain and it contained the penny poem idea which was at any rate a legitimate way of making money. The accused was cautioned against, representing to the public anything he could not fulfil. If that advice had been followed he would not have committed an offence. Further he used a fioitious name. He, the chief detective, suggested that accused should be remanded for a week for the probation officer's report. The magistrate said there were several essentials of false pretences in Cain's behaviour that made it different from the penny-poem idea. At a time like this with so many men looking for work it was a cruel and mean scheme. However, accused was only a lad and if his previous life was satisfactory he might allow him probation. Accused was remanded for a week.