MANY CHARGES

Southland Times, Issue 20833, 23 July 1929, Page 8

MANY CHARGES

BANKRUPT CHINESE ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES AND FRAUD . PLEA OF NOT GUILTY. / (Special to the Times.) Dunedin, July 22. Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the Police Court this morning, a lengthy list of charges faced a young Chinese business man, Kum Toon Lee, who recently appeared as a bankrupt before the Official Assignee in April. > After evidence had been taken in the Bankruptcy Court, it was decided that the matter be handed to the Crown Prosecutor to consider a prosecution. Kum Toon Lee, also known as William Chan Jun and Long Sing Lee, appeared on 14 charges, several being connected with the recent bankruptcy proceedings. The charges were: (1) that he obtained £2 from Frederick Griffiths Paape by means of a valueless cheque on the National Bank, at Invercargill; (2) that he obtained £5 from Paape by the same means; (3) that he obtained 14/6 from Paape by the same means; (4) that he obtained credit of £8 from William Dawson Cowie by means of fraud; (5) that he obtained £5O from Elizabeth O'Beirne by false pretences; (6) that after presentation of a bankruptcy petition against him, he concealed part, of his property, to wit silk and soft goods exceeding £lO in value; (7) that being a person adjudged a bankrupt, he made a material omission in the statement relating to his affairs; (8), that being a person adjudged a bankrupt, he contracted a debt for £2 from Grigor Grant at a time when he could not have had any reasonable probable expectation of being able to pay it as well as all his other debts; (9) that under the same circumstances, he contracted a debt for £63 14/4 from Butterworth Bros., Ltd.; (10), that within three years of being adjudged a bankrupt, he obtained goods valued at £3O 16/10 from Mercer and Mitchell by false representations; (11) that he obtained meals from Frederick Griffiths Paape by false representations; (12), that he contracted a debt for £l9 12/8 at a time when he could not have had any reasonable or probable expectation of being able to pay the debt as well as all his other debts; (13), that being a person adjudged a bankrupt, he failed to deliver up to the Official Assignee, all such part of his property as was in his custody or under his control, to wit, certain silks and other soft goods, and which he was required by law to deliver up; (14) that he incurred a debt or liability to Frederick Griffiths Paape by obtaining credit of £2 6/5 by means of fraud.

Mr C. J. L. White who appeared for the accused said that his client was going for trial on all charges and pleaded not guilty. Mr W. D. Taylor, who appeared for the Official Assignee, said that the prosecutions were taken as a result of the man’s bankruptcy. It was one of the most fraudulent and impudent bankruptcies that had taken place in Dunedin for many years. When Mr White protested against this statement, the - Magistrate said he thought it would be better for counsel to confine himself to the evidence without comment.

W. Y. K. Chan, market gardener, of Invercargill, said he was the father of accused. Last year he was working at Invercargill on his own gardens. In April last, Mr O’Beirne sent a bailiff to seize some chattels, but witness would not allow the bailiff to seize them as they were his. Witness had told the accused that if he behaved himself, he would give him the gardens. His son had been educated at Dunedin, Auckland and some other place outside New Zealand. He did not know if the accused had ever been at Oxford. At the end of last year his son came to Dunedin. Witness was at that time working in his garden at Invercargill and was not a retired merchant living in Auckland. Witness gave accused some money. Witness did not know to whom his son was married. Witness was.in China before the war and when at college he Was captured by brigands, but did not have to be ransomed. Witness had never owned a motor car worth £1350, but had owned a much cheaper car. His son was in the silk business with him and so much money had been lost he did not know what it was. He had owned five sections in Tainui, but gave them to friends a few years ago. Cross-examined, witness said his family had had .large business operations in New Zealand at Auckland, Dunedin and Invercargill. He had been Chinese missioner in Dunedin for some years. He had traded under the names of Tong Sing Lee and Kum Toon Lee. It was an understood thing in Chinese families that a man’s property passed to his son and in the present case, everything would go to his son if he behaved .himself. Witness had done his best to help his son in his trouble. His son was now working for him on his garden in Invercargill. Tip Foo had promised to finance his son in business in Dunedin. His son had a big car in Auckland, the money for it coming out of the business. Witness had sold his business in Auckland some time ago.

F. G. O’Beirne, solicitor, Invercargill, said he made certain- advances to the accused in April of last year on the security of chattels which accused claimed to be his own.

Henry Mitchell, of Mercer and Mitchell, said the accused interviewed him in January last, telling him that his (accused's) father was in business as a silk merchant in Auckland. Accused said his father was Kum Yoon Lee and Kum Yoon Lee was one of the most honourable men witness had ever had to deal with. Accused said he was opening a store in Stuart street and witness agreed to supply him with goods. In the course of the interview, accused also said that many years ago in China, his father was captured by bandits and that he (accused) was sent out with a ransom to meet the bandits. Further hearing of the case was then adjourned till to-morrow morning.