“GET-RICH-QUICK"

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 4

“GET-RICH-QUICK"

SCHEME AND ITS RESULTS TWO YEARS’ HARD LABOUR FOR THE MAKINS. DETENTION FOR HAWKINS. “You are 6o much older,” said Mr Justice Chapman yesterday, to the elder Makin, when sentencing the perpetrators of a cheque embezzlement scheme “that it is even mare disgraceful on your part that you did not attempt to control the younger men.” The prisoners were William Holland Makin, Leonard Walter Makin, and Percy Dowling Hawkins, who had pleaded guilty to a number of charges of forging the name of G. I. Beeson to certain Government cheques, the total sum involved amounting to over £II,OOO. Mr P. S. K. Macassey appeared on behalf of the Crown. Mr L. Etherington appeared for the Makin brothers, and made a strong plea for leniency. Sentence had been deferred ■ince Saturday. He would nave to treat the two Makins as the originators of the scheme, continued His Honour, and deal with tbem accordingly. The sentence of the court would he two years’ hard labour in each case. It might have been possible for them to have made a coup, so to 6peak, which would have placed them in the ranks of highly successful perpetrators of fraud. The whole affair was a carefully considered conspiracy. As a judge, he had to look upon conspiracy seriously. The social position and previous good character of the offenders did not mitigate their action. At the same time he would take circumstances into full consideration. That the scheme had not been successful was not due to penitence on the part of the perpetrators, but was due to its breakdown. . "With reference to Hawkins, the judge ordered that he should be detained for reformative treatment for twelve months.