A BANKRUPT AUCTIONEER.
CHARGES OF FRAUD
AUCKLAND, May 10. A bankrupt auctioneer named Percy W illiam Douglas pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court today to nine charges of having fraudulently converted to his own use sums of money totalling £4OB 12s 3d, being the balances of the proceeds of property sold by him. In a statement to the police, said the Crown Prosecutor, the accused admitted having received the moneys and not having prid them to his various clients. The accused had kept no Trust Account, and admitted having used the money of one client to pay another. . ,\t the close of the prosecution counsel fro the defence submitted that there was no case to answer. Fraudulent action was the essence of the charge, and he contended that no evidence of intent to defraud had been produced. The nidge overruled this contention. Counsel said that broadly the defence v. as that the accused was entirely ignorant of the responsibilities thrown upon him by iho Auctioneers Act. The position was largely efuo to faulty office methods, for which the accused was not altogether to blame. The case was adjourned pending Poli-o Court proceedings on May 22.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19230515.2.22
Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 3609, 15 May 1923, Page 9
Word Count
200A BANKRUPT AUCTIONEER. Otago Witness, Issue 3609, 15 May 1923, Page 9
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