SOLD BY AUCTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10085, 26 September 1918, Page 6

SOLD BY AUCTION

ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD SOME STRANGE DEALING BY AN • " AUCTIONEER: ' A loag list of serious charges against •-Hi auctioneer occupied the attention of Atr i\ V. I'razor, S.M., in the .Magis;,;ate'& Court yesterday. The dei'en...mfc was George /.Edward Blake, who, . .ordihg to -Ciiief-iDetective Boddam, .jed on auctioneering in Cuba strc>'. ..utg taio. l'Jlti, and 1917. Un JWMy .list, 1017, his iiconso eeascu ••• U ..,.ivi', and ou April 10th. lie meu , petition 111 bankruptcy. iSove-.i. firms ana private persons, wl'" '"■•u lo'uinooae of certain V-°l'eVtV. •-.. .NtsU "brake with the sale. -v--T.no „ HaiiaaciivU was in April, ldla, au'-i .•.■i;i-ii<;d 'a piano which was given tu j.. -ascti by i'. J- I'inny, Ltd., to sell. . .I- eviuouce was to the eliVct that no iu'.'.iviv wa» received and that' nothing .....-: a "was heard of the piano. Thuotiivi charges, winch concerned goods or variuuo descriptions, were similar' to cao out- nu'iilioueu. witu the c.vcepiion Uia.. tluve of the ciierices chaigeu took pluee alter Blake haa. ceaoed to,, bo an auctioneer. _ . .. , .. " , At the outset. "Mr P. W. Jackson, who acted for the 'defence,' said" the question would be raised as to 'whether there had been any criminal intent on the part of the ace used.Several witnesses were examined . en the lines of the chief-detective's opening statnieut. Vor the defence, Mr Jackson contended that I'he deals were ordinary business transactions between principal and agent. The prosecution had proved that the accused received the -ootls and had not paid over the money or returned the goods, but it had not proved it had been done fraudulently. Accused was civiiv Liable, no doubt, but not criminally. How did they know there was not money enough in the estate to pay the claims? Counsel could not see how vendor and auctioneer could be classed o f her than creditor and debtor. The magistrate replied that_ it was obvious the. vendor was it. piincipal. an<t tho«auctioneer an agent. There was a vast difference. He had no hesitation in deciding there was a, case to answer. First they had a licensed -auctioneer receiving goods and failing to account for them; then they had an unlicensed auctioneer who received goods from people, and that Was the last the vendors saw of them. Counsel called Williajn Walter Samson, Acting-OrScial Assignee, who gave evidence as to accused's books, showing detailed entries in the ledger of goods Bold. Witness stated that indications •pointed to the estate paying a very small dividend.

Accused -pleaded not guilty, and was. committed to the Supremo Court <cr trial. As Blake is now - resident m Auckland he was allowed bail in his own recognisance on condition he_ reports .regularly to the Auckland police. A plea, of guilty was entered with respect to a charge under the Auctioneers Act of carrying on business after tho expiration of his license. Sentence was deferred.