VALUELESS CHEQUES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20451, 4 July 1928, Page 3

VALUELESS CHEQUES.

ELDERLY MAN BEFORE COURT. SIX MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT. “ This man has evidently been working the country from Auckland to Bluff, ’ said Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the City Police Court yesterday morning, in sentencing John Petley, a middle-aged man, to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour. Petley was charged on three counts—first, that on June 15, at Dunedin, with intent to defraud, he did obtain from M’Gavin and Co. goods valued at £1 and £4 in money by means of a valueless cheque for £5; and, secondly, that on June 16, at Dunedin, with intent to defraud, he did not obtain from one William MTntosh £lO 4s by means of a valueless cheque for £2O, both cheques being drawn on. the Bank of Now Zealand, Owaka. The third charge was in respect of his failure to comply with the terms of a maintenance order for the support of his five children in the care of the Education Department at Auckland. Chief Detective Cameron said that the accused had come from the North Island and taken employment at a sawmill at Owaka under the assumed name of Wilson. Whilst in that place he had deposited £5 in the Bank of New Zealand, but had later drawn all his money and come to Dunedin to indulge in a drinking bout. Having exhausted all his money, he had borrowed £5 from the licensee of the hotel at which he was staying, and later presented a cheque for £2O in settlement of his account, i-cceiving about £lO in change. As his account at the bank was dosed, the cheque was dishonoured. He had then gone to M’Gavin’s Brewery, where he had purchased some beer, presenting a cheque for £5 and receiving £4 in change. Later, having gone to Invercargill by taxi, the accused had presented still another valueless cheque in payment of his fare, but it was understood that the taxi driver did not want the matter brought up. After having a drinking bout at Wallacetown, Petley had left for Clinton, where he had been arrested on the Auckland charge and brought before the court at Gore. He had been remanded to appear at Auckland, but had been taken off the train at Dunedin to answer the two charges of fraud. Owing to the effects of his excessive drinking it had been necessary to send him to hospital, from which be had been discharged on Monday. On each of the first two charges Petley was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, the sentences to be cumulative, and on the third charge he was remanded to appear at Auckland on July 10.