TO THAMES AND BACK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 986, 31 May 1930, Page 1

TO THAMES AND BACK

LABOURER’S FREE TAXI RIDE MUST PAY FARE OF £lO Neither magistrate nor police showed much sympathy for the taxidriver whom Edward Lewis Newman was charged with defrauding to the extent of £lO at the Police Court this morning. The taxi-driver had taken Newman, who was in a drunken condition, to Thames on a promise of payment on arrival. When they arrived at Kopu the money was not forthcoming, so the taxi-driver brought Newman back to Auckland, delivering him at the Police Station. Newman, aged 3£. pleaded guilty to obtaining credit by fraud to the extent of £lO from Francis Selwyn Fenton on May 29.

Chief-Detective Hammond said accused had told the taxi-driver ho had money to collect from the Drainage Board at Kopu. On Friday morning at Kopu, the secretary or the board had told the taxi-driver there was ao money due to Newman, so the driver had brought him back to the City. A friend of Newman’s had offered to pay his fare out to the country, where he could find work.

“There is no prospect of him paying the £lo,’* continued the chief detective. “The taxi-driver would have driven him to Timbuctoo, apparently. Newman was in a drunken condition, and says he has no recollection of engaging a taxi.”

“The taxi-driver does not deserve a great deal of sympathy.” agreed Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., convicting Newman and ordering him to come up for sentence within two monhts. Accused vaß ordered to make restitution of the £lO.