USED FATHER’S NAME

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19336, 28 May 1937, Page 3

USED FATHER’S NAME

8G VALUELESS CHEQUES FRAUDS lIY lI.U. MAN REFORMATIVE SENTENCE “All the cheques drawn on his account fit, tlic Bank of Ne,w Zealand. Wairoa, wore honoured up to October 14. 1936, I nit since that dale 86 cheques have horn dishonoured, ’ said Detective-Sergeant It. Xuttall to .Mr. .1. Miller, S.M., in the. Napier .Magistrate's (.‘ourt yesterday, when Ronald lloni Shriuipton. ol Napier, appeared on live charges ot obtaining money by means ot valueless cheques and one charge of representing himself to be a police constable. On one charge he was sentenced to two years’ reformative detention, and on the others lie was ordered to come up for sentence i! called upon within two years. The charges against Slirimpton involved a total of £55, including £35 10s representing taxi hire, contracted at VYairoa, and other smaller sums for which cheques had hern passed at .Hastings. Taupo. Hamilton and Auckland. “This man is a well-known resident of Hawke’s Bay,'' said DetectiveSergeant Nut,tall.' “He opened an account on September 1. 1936. with the Bank of New Zealand at Wairoa, and all cheques drawn on that account up to October 14 were honoured. Since that dale, however, 86 cheques have Been dishonoured. I have not them all. but I know they exist. Some time ago the accused was notified by a firm nf solicitors in Napier that lie must cease to issue these cheques, and when he was arrested I found the letter in his pocket. “Olfdices in this respect have been committed at Auckland, Hamilton, Taupo, Hastings and various other districts. At Hamilton and Auckland lie assumed the designation of Constable Slirimpton, of Wairoa, and was able to cash two oi these cheques. I lie mo e fact of mentioning bis late lather s name enabled him to get all the credit lie wished. , „ Jl . “In May. 1930, be was before Hus court on 18 charges ol talso pretences, and sentenced to ? term of imprison-

incut.” .. In defence, Mr. S. .11. Morrison said that it was dillieiilt, to account lor the accused's actions. Ho had. howexei, {riven the police an opportunity ol obtaining all the cheques., and when arrested had made no effort to conceal any of his actions. “Tliis man appears as one who has no excuse at all for doing what he has done,” said the Bench in delivering the sentence. “He came of a good family, and finaneinllv he should have no reason to do this. Im'l. it appears that lie is more or less committed to this mode ol life 1 feel that there is only one way ol dealing with the case, and that is that he should he put in prison lor reformative purposes for a fairly long term. ‘•fle will he sentenced to reformative detention for a period not exceeding (wo years, and it will depend on Ins conduct what time he will remain there.”