CREDIT BY FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21037, 23 November 1931, Page 12

CREDIT BY FRAUD.

LIVED ON BORROWED MONEY. FOUR MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. A man who did not work and who lived on money loaned to him by a friend appeared in the Police Court on Saturday charged with being an idle and disorderly person, with insufficient lawful means of support and with fraudulently obtaining £2 2s credit from a restaurant proprietor. Accused, Thomas McAuley, aged 39, described as a.theatre manager, pleaded not guilty. The vagrancy charge was heard first.

Oswald Ralph Marsh said that last -April he made the acquaintance of accused, who was then staying at the .Auckland City Mission's shelter. Accused asked witness for financial aid and said he was expecting a draft of £IOO from England. On this representation witness lent accused various sums tptailing £157, but did not receive a refund of the money. "Accused last worked in April or May and since then ho has lived on my money," added witness. "I thought he was an English gentleman and trusted him." A taxi-driver, James Hunter Blair, said that during the last few months he had taken accused for drives about the city and suburbs. Witness understood accused was expecting a draft of £3OO from his father in England and thought it was safe to allow credit. Accused owed witness £37 17s 6d for taxi hire. Walter Buchanan, master baker, said he had assisted accused by twice offering him employment. One of the positions was worth £7 a week, but accused stayed only 21. hours. The other position was also not taken advantage of. On a later occasion accused falsely intimated he was returning to Britain and witness gave him a cheque for £lO "to help him along." Regarding the credit by fraud charge, Kate Marion Wells, proprietor of a city restaurant, said she had given accused meals on credit. Accused falsely told witness ho was expecting a draft from England and that if it did not arrive by November 1 Air. Buchanan would pay for the meals. Detective-Sergeant Kelly said very little was known of accused, who came from Scotland. On September 23 last he was convicted of false pretences at Rotorua and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. "His relatives say lie will not work and that he was sent to New Zealand for another country's good," concluded Mr. Kelly. The magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean, sentenced accused to four months' imprisonment for obtaining credit by fraud. On the vagrancy charge a conviction without penalty was recorded.