CHANCE TO PAY DEBTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20650, 23 August 1930, Page 9

CHANCE TO PAY DEBTS.

bankruptcy act breach. COURT GRANTS OPPORTUNITY. [by TELEGRAPH. —OWN COMtESrONDENT. j NEW PLYMOUTH. Friday. When Bert Thomas appeared before Mr. Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court today for sentence on six counts of breaches of the Bankruptcy Act, His Honor deferred sentence until .Monday, to give Thomas the opportunity in the meantime to refund the money to his creditors. His Honor expressed a desire to give effect to the jury's recommendation to mercy, but said he was of opinion that the recommendation was intended to be conditional upon accused abandoning his fraudulent conduct. Ho also expressed the opinion that Thomas had command of money, whether it was in his wife's name or not, and said he thought accused was able to discharge his debts. Ho would therefore defer sentence for a few days in order to give accused an opportunity of thinking the matter over. If accused did not take the opportunity, said His Honor, ho would consider it his duty, in the public interest, to inflict the heaviest penalty which the law permitted. Accused had been found guilty of fraud. He was just, as guilty as if he had stolen the money. He had given a long account of what he had done with the money, but the jury did not believe him and neither did His Honor. " He got away with most of it to Australia," said Mr. Justice Ostler. "It may be in bis wife's name, but I believe he has command of it."