MONEY BY FRAUD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22818, 27 August 1937, Page 16

MONEY BY FRAUD

CLERK'S OFFENCES SUM OF £l2l INVOLVED "STARTED BACKING HORSES" Offering; the excuse that lie not into fast company and contracted debts , through drinking heavily, which caused him to lose all sense of responsibility, Jlolroyd Wynn Taylor, clerk, aged .'iO (Mr. C. Skolton), appeared before Mr. W. li. McKoan, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, to answer 12 charges of issuing false cheques and false demand drafts and obtaining money under false pretences. The offences, which were admitted, were committed at Auckland and Kihikihi, between May 17 and August 3, and amounts from £5 to £35, and totalling £l2l, were involved. "I came to Auckland from Sydney in March to get employment," accused said in a statement to the police. "I am married, and have one child. 1 saw my mother in "Wellington, and she advanced me £SO out of my deceased father's estate. I soon went through this money when I met fast company and started to drink heavily. As 1 fell into debt, and while still drinking heavily, I drew drafts and started backing horses in an endeavour to get square and pay my obligations. I issued ono draft to pay something off the other. Ultimately I could keep going no longer, and was heavily in debt.

"Although I had no authority to issue these demand drafts, I thought 1113' mother would honour them to keep me out of trouble," accused continued. "1 realise the disgraeo and humiliation I have brought on my people, and can assure the Court that at the termination of my punishment I will go to tho country and work 011 a farm and endeavour to repay all tho money in instalments." Detective Brady, in reply to counsel, said accused was frank in all liis admissions, and had volunteered the information regarding ono offence in order to clear up the whole matter. Pleading guilty to all charges, accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.