FALSE CHEQUES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 966, 8 May 1930, Page 10

FALSE CHEQUES

SURVEYOR ADMITS 1 1 OFFENCES DRINK HIS TROUBLE Eleven charges of false pretences by issuing valueless cheques were admitted by Alfred Randolph Barton, aged 27, a surveyor. who was ordered by Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., in the Police Court this morning, to be placed under probation for two years. Barton called at the detectives' office and gave himself up, Detective A. McHugh said. In a statement made then, he attributed his downfall to drinking. Mr. Hunt ordered Barton, who is a married man with a child, to make restitution of the sum involved, £56 10s, and to be prohibited from drinking during the period of his probation FALSE PRETENCES The false pretences were committed between April 3 and April 26, the separate charges being the obtaining of £5 cash from John Hook by means of a valueless cheque, £2 from Percy Kinnimont, £5 from John Hook, £3 from Mary Howden, an overcoat valued at £5 12s 6d and 7s 6d cash from H. D. Andersen, £3 5s from J. Robertson, household goods valued at £2 6s 4d and 3s Sd cash from J. B. Beale, furniture valued at £6 14s 9d and £3 5s 3d cash from J. R. Robertson, £5 from J. B. Beale, £3 from A. B. Hart, and £lO from Edward Laham.

Appearing for Barton, Air. A. Smyth said he had been instructed to plead guilty on all charges. Detective McHugh said Barton came to the detectives’ office on May 1 and gave himself up. He said he had obtained money by issuing 10 valueless cheques, and he made a statement to witness explaining where he had cashed each cheque. Barton had come to Auckland from Rotorua with his wife and child, and he had £2O in money, witness continued. He had not been able to secure work which had been expected, Barton had said in his statement. and he had had no money in the bank for the past 12 months. He had, however, brought a cheque took to Auckland. ' He gave details to the police of the cheques he had issued after he began drinking. “None of the money is left, because I spent it in drink and at the races,” Barton added, in his statement. “I believe I could make

restitution if given a chance.” Detective McHugh said Barton had shown the effects of drinking at the time he gave himself up.

To Mr. Hunt, witness said Barton had not been in trouble previously, and, in answer to Mr. Smyth, there had been no complaint against the man at the time he gave himself up. “Evidently drink has been this man’s trouble.” remarked Mr. Hunt, in sentencing Barton. “I shall group all the charges together in making the order.”

NAME SUPPRESSED

VALUELESS CHEQUE ISSUE ADMITTED “CARELESS TRAVELLER” After an earnest plea by Mr. Alan Moody. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., agreed to suppress the name of a traveller. 29 years of age, who admitted obtaining £ 1 2s 6d by means of a ' valueless cheque on March 24. Mr. Hunt adjourned the case for three months in order to judge the accused's conduct in that period. In evidence. Detective Power said .Cl 2s 6d in change had been received by the accused when h$ presented a cheque for £5 2s 6d. drawn on a bank at Wellington, to a tailor. In a statement made to witness, the traveller said he knew he did not have sufficient funds in the bank to meet the cheque. He had since paid the tailor the amount.

Mr. Moody said the man had not previously been in trouble. He actually had a credit at the bank about March 24 and Mr. Moody described his client as “somewhat careless." He war. married, with a family, and had another bank account at Auckland. Mr. Hunt at first would not consent to suppression of the man’s name. “On his own statement to the police, lie should be convicted," he said. Mr. Moody urged that he was not asking for a precedent to be established.