CHARGES OF THEFT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20707, 3 May 1929, Page 9

CHARGES OF THEFT.

CHINAMAN BEFORE COURT, A COUNTRYMAN’S COMPLAINT. - (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 2, In the Police Court today Albert Hong Duk, a Chinese clerk, was charged with obtaining £SO from Sin Soo Young, a labourer, on March 12 by fraudulently representing that he required £7O to pay the collector of Customs in Auckland to have Young’s permit to remain in New Zealand extended. Four similar charges of obtaining sums totalling £42 12s 6d from Young* and of receiving £33 from two other Chinese and failing to account for the money, thereby committing theft, were also preferred. Sin Soo Young said his real name was Fong Quan Foon, hut the accused had told: him he could not enter New Zealand under any other name than Sin Soo Young. Witness at this time was in hiji, and arrived in Auckland in February or March, 1926. He detailed various payments made to the accused ■u , and other Chinese to secure the extension of a permit from the Customs Department. When witness was arrested last February for overstaving his permit he rang the accused from the. Newmarket Police Station, and accused told him to say nothing about it as he would get into trouble. Accused also told him that if he said nothing he would get an extension for six months. “ When I was brought before the court, accused acted as interpreter for the Customs Department which prosecuted, continued the complainant. “ I was fined £25, in default two months’ imprisonment but 1 did not know that in court. I knew afterwards about the fine and the default, but not until I went to gaol. As I had paid all my earnings to accused I had no money to pay he fi ne After being PJ I was on the representations of my solicitor, I was not epresented by a solicitor when I was med £25, I trusted the accused. I rebdpts for —r + u?p de ” ee was S iven by an official of the Customs Department, showing that o application for extension of his permit had been received from Young or on his behalf. ' ung Young’s story was corroborated bv a number of Chinese witnesses, and £S!£ “ se