BOGUS DEALER CAUGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16775, 15 February 1918, Page 6

BOGUS DEALER CAUGHT.

GUILTY OF FALSE PRETENCES.

.Charges of , obtaining quantity of sacks by means of false pretences were brought against a man named Alfred Larkin before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday. The charges were that he obtained 250 sacks valued at £12 from Messrs. John Kennerley and Sons on December 10, 1917, by representing himself to bo a grain and produce merchant at Onehunga, and that on November 29, 1917, he obtained from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., 200 sacks, valued at £10, by falsely representing that he had a large quantity of cocksfoot and Danthonia seed. Accused pleaded not guilty on both charges. Chief-Detective McMahon' stated that accused ordered the sacks from Messrs. Kennerley and Sons by telephone, and later in the day, representing himself as his foreman, took delivery of the sacks. When asked by Mr. Kennerley, junior, if Larkin was all right accused replied: "Yes, he is well known in Onehunga." In connection with the other charge it was stated that the sacks were delivered on the understanding that the seed which accused said he had was sold to the company. On November 30 accused sold 150 sacks for £3 15s to Frederick deal, secondhand dealer, of Freeman's Bay, and oh December 10 he sold another 250 sacks for £6 5s to Cleal. Evidence was given in support of these facts. The police mentioned that accused had received sentences totalling six months for three charges of false pretences at Wellington in 1916, and was now on remand for a similar offence at Palroerston North. Accused was sentenced to six months' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative, Cleal to be reimbursed from money said to be obtainable on accused's behalf.