ESTATE OF A WIDOW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19394, 31 July 1926, Page 10

ESTATE OF A WIDOW.

AGENT'S ALLEGED FRAUD. GOVERNMENT'S AID SOUGHT. ALLEGATIONS BY MEMBERS. [in.' TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Friday. The case of an elderly widow who had no legal remedy for the alleged theft of her whole estate was discussed in the House of Representatives to-day upon a favourable recommendation by a select committee regarding her petition for the Government's help. The lady, Mrs. Mary Pilling, of Waihi, asked that Parliament should, if possible, after an investigation of the facts, grant her prayer for justice and the protection of the Crown against Richard Gooch. When the report had been submitted to the House Mr. A. M. Samuel (Ohinemuri) thanked the committee for its recommendation. The petitioner, he said, had been defrauded by Gooch, who was at the time a sharebroker at Waihi and in a sense a public servant, being agent there for the official assignee in bankruptcy. Mrs. Pilling, on the passing of no-license in Ohinemuri, realised her assets, but Gooch, as her agent, robbed her of the whole amount and absconded to the Malay States. He was located there, and immediately removed to Sydney. Mrs. Pilling took proceedings in the Supreme Court, but for lack of means she could merely have his evidence taken on commission. This evidence was, as she believed she had shown conclusively, a tissue of falsehoods. The Judge in the case had not granted her the remedy she sought, but there was good reason to believe that he had since come to another opinion. Unfortunately, it was now too late for him to do anything. The petitioner now sought relief in order that she might not before long become a charge upon the State. She had in the past received help from the late Sir William Herrics, Sir Frederic Lang, and others, and the late Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, had expressed his belief in the justice of her • complaint. Mr. C. E. Macmillan (Tauranga) endorsed what Mr. Samuel had said. Gooch, he stated, was understood to be now in Singapore, and to have considerable means. It was most desirable that, if possible, he should be brought back to New Zealand and held to account for his conduct. '• The committee's report was laid on the table.