“FOOL AND HIS MONEY”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23225, 24 June 1937, Page 12

“FOOL AND HIS MONEY”

HIGH LIFE IN AUCKLAND

YOUNG MAN’S DOWNFALL

SEQUEL IN POLICE COURT

iPer United Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 23

After spending £3500 left to him three years ago a well-known Auckland footballer, Andrew Johnstone Fletcher, salesman, aged 24, appeared in the Police Court on five charges of obtaining sums of money totalling £l6 in May and June by means of valueless cheques. He was placed on probation for two years and ordered to make restitution of £l6. Fletcher pleaded guilty to all the charges. Detective Sergeant M’Hugh said that Fletcher was born at Vavau, Tonga. He received a good secondary school education, and at the age of 21 he received £3500. His father, now dead, was a merchant at Tonga, where the accused’s mother still lived.

“ This young man has been leading a high life in Auckland, and he has squandered the whole of the large sum left to him,” said Detective Sergeant M'Hugh. “He had an account at an Auckland bank, and in February last he cashed a cheque and withdrew all that was lefthalf a crown. In May he was financially embarrassed and foolishly decided to issue cheques to obtain some ready money. Inquiries made by the police concerning this young man show that he has been leading an idle life in Auckland. Around town he is regarded as “ one of the boys ” He.was a prominent footballer and is in a good state of physical fitness and quite capable of doing hard work. Our inquiries show that he lias been going very fast. It is no wonder he has gone through all his money.

“ There is an old dictum that says ‘a fool and his money are soon parted.’ This applies in this case,” said Mr Bryce Hart on behalf of Fletcher. “ I think Fletcher’s many friends assisted him to spend his money. Unfortunately he received this money at the fickle age of 21. He has never appreciated the value of money. His alleged friends have assisted him materially to spend it. Fletcher has been educated in everything except in the art of retaining money. He simply ran riot with his cheque book after getting £3500. He had everything a young man could wish for, including a motor car. All he had to do was to write a cheque when he wanted to buy anything, but he had no tuition at all in even the basic principles of economics, and now he finds himself quite unskilled in any particular work. It is his earnest desire to obtain work so that ho can reimburse those from whom he got the total of £l6. I don’t think there will be any difficulty in his obtaining a position and earning the money with which to make restitution. He has already been in prison over a week on remand, and he has had a good taste of it. As Fletcher has borne an unblemished character until now, I would ask he might be admitted to probation. Mr W. R. M‘Kean, S.M.: Ho has been short of money for some months. Has he ever tried to get work?

Mr Hart: Oh, yes. He has been in business as an advertising agent, but apparently it was only a hand-to-mouth existence. I suggest an appropriate form of punishment would be to admit him to probation, so that he could earn enough to repay the money himself. In admitting the accused to probation the magistrate expressed the hope that he would make good.