LOAN NOT REPAID.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19962, 2 June 1928, Page 13

LOAN NOT REPAID.

CHARGE OF FRAUD FOLLOWS ALLEGED LETTER OF CREDIT. TRANSACTION AT ROTORUA. CASE AGAINST COLIN CORYTON. [EY TELEGKAPK. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NAPIER. Friday. Considerable interest was taken in a case in tho Napier Police Court this morning when Colin Coryton was called to face a. charge that on April 5, at Rotorua, with intent to defraud, he did obtain from Mrs. Helen Caroliue Lowry, of Okawa, the sum of £3OO by falsely representing that he had a letter of credit to the extent of £IOOO at the National Bank, of New Zealand, Nelson, which was being posted to him. He was further charged that on March 27, at Whangarei, he did obtain from David AVvllie a Rolls Royce cai*, valued at £9BO, by a false pretence, an alleged letter of credit for £IOOO on Lloyd's Bank, London. ■Messrs. J. Vigor Brown and T. Wright, .T.l.'s, were on tho Bench. Inspector D. J. Cummings conducted the prosecution and Mr. A. H. D. Mayne appeared for accused. Mr. W. Humphries represented Mis- Lowry. " Warning of Police Action," Mrs. Lowry, wife of Thomas Henry Lowry, of Okawa, stated that on April 4 she was staying at the Grand Hotel, Rotorua. She and her husband had previously met accused at Wairakei and they also met him in the hotel at Rotorua. In conversation with her accused stated thit a letter of credit for £IOOO which he had had gone astray at Nelson and be had warning that if he did not pay some of his debts the police would take fiction. As April 6-was Good Friday, he could not cash the letter then. Witness continued that accused stated that he had a debt to a' legal firm in Auckland for £250 in connection with which the police would take action if it was not settled by rioon next day. He talked driving through at night to Auckland. Mr. Lowry, Mr. Bowen (a friend) and herself discussed the matter with accused at supper. Mr. Bowen suggested that accused cable Home, but he stated he could not do so that evening ' as it was after 10. Accused then rang the manager of the Bank of New Zealand and made an appointment. Discussion at Bank. The following morning Mr. Lowry and •witness went to the bank with accused, who told the manager that his letter of credit was in the" .National Bank at Nelson and he could not get it until after the Easter holidays. He also ; said he bad a Rolls Royce car that was good security if witness lent, him money. The bank manager said he could not advance money on a letter of credit unseen, and accused suggested they ring the Auck- , land legal firm previously mentioned and find the exact amount, needed to free him from the police. The bank manager xang Auckland and accused .spoke. The answer was that £250 was required to clear accused, the amount to he paid to Ihe firm's bank in Auckland. Accused ;ilso said he owed money at Wairakei. ' Witness said she gave her cheque for £SOO to accused, who signed a promissory note to repay her at Rotorua on the following Wednesday, when he would receive the letter of* credit. .3e also promised not to use his car after returning to Wairakei until he returned to pay the money. On - the following Wednesday, when witness and her husband returned to Rotorua from Auckland, they were met. by Coryton, who said: "I took your advice and cabled to England. I have a cable from my sister saying that £SOO will bo forwarded as soon as the banks tipen after Easter." " Left Office in Rage." Witness told him to see the bank manager, tell him that and arrange everything, and the promissory note would be destroyed. At three o'clock that afternoon,'when witness and Mr. Lowry were in the manager's office, Coryton knocked at the door and the manager expressed p desire to see him alone. They accordingly leffc the room 3nd it was. then that accused left the cheque for £3OO with the manager. This cheque (which was produced as an exhibit), undated, was left in the. bank pending the arrival of money from England, but on the following Friday when they were leaving for Napier they saw the bank manager, who told them that no money had come forward to'honour the cheque. Witness - said she accordingly told the Tnanag;er to hold the cheque. The only communication she had since had with accused was a telegram sent from a. small town in the South Island, in which he stated that money had come to hand, and he would send £3OO from Christchurch. Mr. Mayne: Was Coryton at the bank throughout the interview ?—No. In the middle of the interview he got into, a rage and.left the office. Mr. Lowry accused him of being untruthful, and he s-sid he would drive to Auckland to get the money. As this was at nine and 'he police were going to take action at r.oon this was hardly possible. Mr. Mayne: Did he'ask you to lerd money to him?— Yes. Wanted to be Rid of Accused. Frederick Edward Bowen. • manager of the woo] department of Dalgety and Co., .Ltd., Xaoier, corroborated Mrs. Lowry's evidence. Mr. Mayne: At what stage were you railed in to this discussion ?—At 10 o clock at nightMr.' Mayne: Who was present ?—Mr. and Mrs. Lowry, my wife and accused. Mr. Mayne: Did accused ask Mrs. Lowry to lend him money on the car ? No. He was talking all about the letter of credit at first, but later he began to 'talk about the car. Mr. Mayne: Did he mate a direct request ?—Yes. Mr. Mayne: To whom was ho talking ?—To Mrs. Lowry. He could see where the soft spot was. Mr. Mayne: Did you think the bank ■would advance on the car?— No. I did not. I did not want Mrs. Lowry to have anything to do with him. cMr. Mayne: Well, why did you suggest that they see the bank manager ?—I wanted them to be fina.llv rid of him. 'Mr. Mayne: Then you warned Mrs. Lowry against giving accused the money? —Yes, I did. Sergeant Ouayle gave evidence that the accused made a statement ai the Police '"onrtb this morning in which he admitted that-he had no letter of credit in the bank at Nelson. Accused was arrested at Grevmouth on May 5. 'Mr. Mayne entered a r>lea of not srnltv Snd' accused was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Napier Supreme Court. ooemner on .Tune 5. On the second charge accused was remanded! to annear on .Tune 15.