COUNTERFEITER CAPTURED

NZ Truth, Issue 882, 21 October 1922, Page 4

COUNTERFEITER CAPTURED

Successful Police Raid

For some months past there. hay« been put into circulation m Auckland, and probably throughout Ne<v Zealand, quite a number of counterfeit halfcrowns and two "bob" pieces, and the continued presence of the coins caused the police to institute inquiries. The matter was placed m the hands of Detective- Sergeants Cummings and Ward and that they were not idle is evidenced by the fact that on Thursday evening . last, armed with a search, warrant, and assisted by a' couple of constables, the detectives "stalked" a house numbered 94, Grey Street, an apartment I ' 'house by the way. Tho detectives had good reason to trunk that "brummy" half "dollars" and two "bobs" were not unknown to at least one party m the house, but they could hardly haVe expected that their visit to the house would have been so successful as it turned out. On entering the house Detectives , Ward and Cummings found the pseudo mint m full swing. The metal pot was m use/*the plaster of Paris moulds were also present, and a quantity of spurious' coins, some unfinished and still quite warm, were gathered by the. detectives. And busy at work was a man named Thomas Nelson Mellors, who gave his age as 35 years. He had his coat off and was busy m the midst of the work when the detectives entered the kitohen., Mellors was arrested, the counterfeiting outfit, together with the coins, gathered, ana all -then hit out for the police station, . The following morning Mellors appeared before Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., charged with making ...counterfeit coin with intent to pass it as' current coin. Chief Detective Mcllyeney asked for a week's remand, which was immediately granted. . Mr Singer, for accused, applied for bail . The Chief Detective mentioned that his Worship should hear some evidence before granting bail. The accused admitted circulating the counterfeit coin. Mr Singer, said that, the accused's wife- was ill and it was because of "this that he asked for bail for accused. The plant had all been seized. • The Chief Detective said he did not know if this was correct. The plant, seized was what v the police found. It was possible the accused^ had. agents elsewhere and he might be only one of a gang working. x His Worship, said the case was a serious one and bail would have to be substantial. The amount would be £1000. It was not immediately forthcoming and the accused was escorted to Mt. Eden Prison. - ' ' •