A LAVISH SPENDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11226, 3 June 1922, Page 7

A LAVISH SPENDER

OTHER PEOPLES MONEY. “COVERED THE STREETS WITH CHEQUES.” / “To start off with, he stole a chequebook and then covered the streets with cheques.” Thus Chief-Detective Kemp summarised the misdemeanours of a young man, Robert James Roberts, who appeared before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to apswer a string of charges emanating from his extreme liberality in disposing of cheques for goods he having come by a cash-book by unlawful means. The offenoes were all committed within a period of two days, the places of offence being Wellington, Otaki and Foxton. There were mne counts of obtaining goods by means of a valueless cheque and 1 one of stealing the cheque-hook at Levin on May 15th, along with- other goods, belonging to D. H. Dalton. A BUSY TWO DAYS. Chief-Detective Kemp went on to say that the young man had committed the offenoes in two days. The goods secured, however, had 1 been recovered, hut the amount of the money not made good was £33 9s 6d. The accused' had the sum of £l4 10s on him when arrested, and, if this were utilised, it would pay a dividend of about 6s 8d in the pound. The Otaki police had' been communicated' with, and they reported that the man had very little in his favour. A former employer had gone so far as to say that he was' “untruthful,” and had resorted to “petty thieving.” “I am afraid his character is right against him, sir,” said Mr Mills, probation officer. ‘ ‘lf the man had been hard up the case might have been different.” > The magistrate: We can’t give him probation We could not possibly dream of that. EARLY TO WERAROA.

The chief-detective stated that the accused was put to Weraroa when he was nine years old, and wlien_ he came out his people had not received him as they might have done. He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.