CHEQUE FRAUD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 8

CHEQUE FRAUD

NEGRO SENTENCED f; ■ SCATHING COMMENT BY I MAGISTRATE —' \ ' (Per United Press Association) j ' BLENHEIM, June 8. “ I don’t -think we will trouble thf Minister of Labour. I can find you suitable employment,” remarked the magistrate; (Mr T. E. Maunsell), when Jojin Peris, a half-caste negro with a Substantial list of previous convictions, produced in court a letter signed by the Prime Minister regretting the position he was in, and asking the Minister of Labour if he cobid find him'employment. Peris, who pleaded guilty to obtaining {goods by means of a valueless cheque, was sentenced to nine imprisonment. The police said that, the accused came to Blenheim last Friday and obtained a fair amount of money from a number of good-hearted people.! He then went to the Bank of Nevj Zealand and deposited 10s, getting* a cheque book on undertaking to I return later to deposit £3O. He claimed to be cooking at a pubic works camp. He made out a cheque for £Q 18Sj, and procured footwear to the (value of £3 18s. Inquiries showed that he was not employed on thelpublic works, and he had deposited no further amount with th* bank'. ( At this stage the accused produced a letter from the Prime Minister, which ! he handed up to the magistrate. 1 In broken English, he said he haijj been drinking, and suggested that probation would be of mon» good ijto him than imprisonment. ■ The) magistrate remarked that it seemeci ? that accused was “ sorting him out” as another victim fo*’ fraud, j but he had defrauded so manyj people that, nothing he said could be believed.