GOODS OBTAINED BY VALUELESS CHEQUE

Southland Times, Issue 23839, 9 June 1939, Page 3

GOODS OBTAINED BY VALUELESS CHEQUE

“SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT” FOUND FOR ACCUSED (United Press Association) BLENHEIM, June 8. “I don’t think we will trouble the Minister of Labour. I can find you suitable employment,” remarked the Magistrate, Mr J. L. Maunsell, when John Peris, a half-caste negro with a substantial list of previous convictions, produced in Court a letter signed by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) regretting the position he was in and asking the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) if he could find him employment. Peris, who pleaded guilty to obtaining goods by means of a valueless cheque, was sentenced to nine months. The police said 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 New Zealand and deposited 10/- getting a cheque book and undertaking to return later to deposit £3O. He claimed to be cooking at a Public Works camp. He made out a cheque for £6/18/- and procured footwear to the value of £3/18/-. Inquiries showed that he had not been employed on Public Works and had deposited no further amount with the bank. At this stage the accused produced the letter from the Prime Minister which was handed up to the Magistrate. In broken English he said he had been drinking and suggested that probation would be more good to him than imprisonment. The Magistrate remarked that it seemed the accused was sorting him out as another victim for fraud, but he had defrauded so many people that nothing he said could be believed.