A FEMALE FRAUD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17569, 20 June 1925, Page 1

A FEMALE FRAUD.

CAREER OF CRIME. FICTITIOUS WAR BONDS. (Special to the “ Star.”) HAiIILTOX, Ji.no 20. What, to do with tho woman Elizabeth Major, who last week pleaded ftuilty to ten charges of obtaining goods oil tho false representation that she possessed £ISOO war bonds, was a problem which presented itself to Mr Justice Herdman. When the prisonpr came before the Court last week llis Honor postponed sentence to ena ie the police to inquire into accused’* antecedents. The police to-dav presented a lengthy report. Mr Tompkins, who represented prisoner, said she was suffering from delusions regarding the possession of " ai ’ bonds. Nine months ago she visited counsel, and asked, him“to arrange to dispose of her war bonds, on the strength of which she bought a. house in Hamilton. His Honor: On the strength of her husband’s war bonds? which she disposed or. Mr Lumpkins : The woman does not realise tho gravity of he r offence. His Honor; People, whether men or "women, cannot bo allowed to go about t country yetting goods by false pretences. -Mr Jompkins: She does not realise the gravity of this kind of thing. His Honor: That is all nonsense I flow is it she came to rnarrv an old man worth £(5009, and. to reduce him to penury in an incredibly short time? His Honor, addressing prisoner, said he had taken a great deal of trov.blo over her case. Unfortunately, the information presented led him to conclude that prisoner had been obtaining credit by means of false pretences m other instances than the present one. 1 Ivo- Official Assignee bad also furnished a report, and from this it appeared, that prisoner had married on old man at Cambridge, who was worth £■<3ooo, and in a very short time, by skilful manipulation, had reduced him to penury. Now' be was an ukl age pensioner. Prisoner, it appeared, bad aUo obtained credit at Rotorua by false pretences. His Honor added that it would be idle and useless to grant probation in this case. |t was a pity prisoner bad come from Scotland and hail commenced a. criminal career. Prisoner woulud bo sentenced to reformative detention for tw>,; voars. Prisoner was first, married in Scotland, and her husband was killed at the war. b e Icing granted, on behalf of her four .•hildreu. an Imperial pension of .Co Hl.> per mouth. She came to New Zealand as an assisted imniiin 1929, and went to live at < rim bridge. wltere she* married an eldgjly mail named "Wilson, who at that ifmo had accumulated, as the result ©f his lit*? s labours. £6OOO in assets. Gfcc lived with him about ten months, at the end of which time, so reckless luid she been with the old, many's money, buying expensive furniture and clothing, and investing in a big town bouse at Devonnort, that the old man was forced to fiie in bankruptcy, and to. apply for an old age pension. The woman's eldest boy, fifteen years, is now serving a term of probation for forgery.