FRAUDULENT DEALING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21980, 15 June 1933, Page 8

FRAUDULENT DEALING

POULTRY OFFERED FOR SALE OFFENDER SENT TO PRISON (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. The story of a man who set up business in Christchurch as Southern Poultry Distributors, Ltd., secured prders for £3OO, and-failed in many cases to fulfil the orders for poultry was unfolded before the magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley) this morning. The accused, John Francis Burns, aged 29, described as a cabi,netmaker, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to seven charges affecting buyers at Kaitangata, Nelson, Reefton, Balclutha, Oamaru, Timaru and Christchurch. The police said that, instead of sending pullets to a West coast buyer after accepting orders, the accused forwarded old hens. He had offered, through an advertisement, to sell first-class poultry. The orders came from all over New Zealand. He fulfilled some of the orders, but in other cases he just pocketed the moneys. Burns had been in trouble before over a somewhat similar case. Counsel for Burns said that the previous convictions had been for a different class of offence. On this occasion Burns had to be given credit for attempting to carry on in an honest way. He had accumulated a considerable stock of poultry, and it could be shown that he had made an effort to conduct the business properly. He had 200 to 300 head of poultry, and had fulfilled a lot of orders. If he had kept his books properly counsel would not have advised him to plead guilty, but would have argued that he was just muddling along. “He has just been a fool in this case whereas in the past he has been a knave,” said counsel.