FRASER'S FOOLISH FREAK

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 5

FRASER'S FOOLISH FREAK

« '. ■ Punting on Publican's Cash f . ■ Bung's Boodle Goes Bung. Whether >it was that the hand- .of James Fraser lost its cunning 'm the preparation of the succulent "steak-an'-de-oys", or whether m looking long and fondly at the amber fluid he forgot the cup that cheers and which' brought m his business is not known, •but what is certain is that the Commercial Restaurant m Lambton Quay, which he controlled from January, 1911, to May 10 of this year, became a much less popular eating house m the latter part of- the Fraser regime, and, m fact, to put it plainly, the boss went bung. ' . , ; On. March, 30. Fraser found himself with a bank overdraft of £ 233 17s 2d. However, the festive restaurateur is next seen on Good Friday, which occurred- on _the fourteenth of the following month, comfortably - installed with his friend Thompson m -that popular Hostelry at Feilding known as the Denbigh, and ready to . • PICK THE WINNERS on the morrow. Before adjourning to the paddock m which the financial shearing operations are conducted m Feilding,. Fraser cashed a cheque' for £25 with the licensee, one Henry DoolyJ The two had- a mutual acquaintance of many years' standing, and all. was well. Fraser mentioned, by the way, that he was the Owner of a racehorse,' Princess Pat. It would seem, however, that the sporting restaurateur was a bad judge with a race book, for on Monday he was at the office window again with another cheque, this time for £7. With 'it he p ( aid £5 for the accommodation of himself' and Thompson and pocketed the remaining £2. With mutual expressions of goodwill, the host and his departing, guests separated. But next day, when the two cheques came back marked "refer to drawer," Heftry Dooly was smitten with a wild surprise. He telephoned Fraser imr mediately, but with splendid sang froid that gentleman returned "I EXPECTED THAT," with the advice that they be presented again, later. The advice was taken, but the cheques were not. A week or so afterwards Dooly was m Wellington and saw Fraser, who said he was arranging • credits for £600, and all would be well m a couple of days. As a security he offered- his gold watch ■ and chain, but Dooly refused them. Whether the credits went wrong at the last minute or whether they were merely a figment of Fraser's imagination was not inquired into. All that was known was that the cheques' ■were never accepted, and on this point Fraser was asked to make what-, ever explanation he could to Messrs. R. D. Hanlon and- I. Salek m the Magistrate's Court m Wellington on Wednesday. Lawyer l Trea dwell, who appeared for him, made no effort to do so, and contented himself by extracting from* Dooly m the witness box the information that Fraser was addicted' to drink, and was "always pretty fond of it." ... After that Fraser pleaded guilty and was .committed for sentence. Bail ,was allowed m the sum of £100 and two sureties.