FRAUDULENT STATEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23529, 18 June 1938, Page 24

FRAUDULENT STATEMENT

CONTENTS OF REGISTERED PACKET SENDER BEFORE COURT (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 17. A complaint to the postal authorities regarding a registered package was responsible for Wallace James Clifford True, a labourer, aged 34, appearing on a summons before Mr W. R McKean. S.M., in the police Courf, charged with making a fraudulent statement that it contained money. The accused pleaded not guilty. ' William George Leland gave evidence of investigating a complaint and ascertaining that the package was delivered and that it contained no money. ' ... Acting-Detective Sergeant Aplm produced a statement in which the accused said he intended to put £1 17s 6d, representing three weeks rent, in the parcel. He thought he had included two notes and three half-crowns. Since checking over his expenditure at the time of the incident he felt satisfied that he had not included the money in the packet. The accused gave evidence that at the time of making the complaint to the Post Office he felt convinced that he had put the money in the package. He continued to think this up till the time he was asked by a detective to check his expenditure. The police stated that the accused had been 10 times previously before the court for theft and fraud, but in the last six years since he had been married he had been convicted only once Counsel said that force of circumstances might have made the accused do the silly thing he had done. “ Probably he got behind with his rent, and this caused this stupid idea to enter his mind,” the magistrate said. " There is provision in the Post and Telegraph Act for anyone making a fraudulent statement or complaint to be liable to a term of imprisonment.’ It is very little use sending the accused to prison, although he really deserves it.” A fine of £2. with costs (£2 18s), was imposed.