TRADING IN POULTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21518, 15 June 1933, Page 15

TRADING IN POULTRY

ORDERS NOT FULFILLED OLD HENS FOR PULLETS MAN SENT TO PRISON [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday The story of a man who setup in business in Christchurch as Southern Poultry Distributors, Limited, and secured orders for £3OO, and failed in many cases to fulfil orders for poultry, was told before Mr. K. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Police Court to-day. Accused was John Francis Burns, nged 29, described as a cabinetmaker. He pleaded guilty to seven charges affecting buyers at Kaitangata, Nelson, Reef ton, Balclutha, Oamaru, Timaru and Christchurch. The police said that instead of sending pullets to a coast buyer after accepting orders, accused forwarded old hens. He had offered through an advertisement to sell first-class poultry. Orders camo from all over New Zealand. Some were filled, but in other cases accused just pocketed the money. He had been in trouble before in a somewhat similar case. Counsel for Burns said the previous conviction had been for a different class of offence. On this occasion Burns had to bo given credit for attempting to carry on in an honest way. He had accumulated a considerable stock of poultry, fend it could be shown that he made an effort to conduct the business properly. He had 200 to 300 head of poultry, and had fulfilled a lot of orders. If he had kept his books properly, counsel would not have advised him to plead guilty, but would have argued that he was just muddling along. _ > " He has just been a £ool in this case, whereas in the past lie has been a knave," said counsel. A sentence of 12 months' imprisonment was imposed.