PAID WEDDING EXPENSES BY MEANS OF FALSE PRETENCES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 9

PAID WEDDING EXPENSES BY MEANS OF FALSE PRETENCES

Young Man With Long List Of Offences Again Before The Court.

EARLY IN NOVEMBER, Arthur John Joseph Rogers, aged twenty-five years, employed as clerk and labourer, decided to get married. He then hit on the scheme of raising cash and procuring goods by false pretences to lessen the expense. Things worked out according to plan. He was duly married and went off to the West Coast on his honeymoon tour. When he arrived back, however, he found a policeman waiting for him and the second act of the drama was enacted in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Rogers was convicted on thi-ee charges and sentenced to six months’ hard labour by Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.

The accused, who was represented by Dr Haslam, pleaded guilty to the following charges:— (1) On November 4, -with intent to defraud, obtaining from T. H. Green and Co., a roll of ham, valued at 9s lid, by falsely representing that he had authority to book it to the account of Henderson and Crewes, Ltd. (2) On November 10 obtaining frojn T. H. Green and Co. the sum of £6 10s 2d in money by falsely representing that a cheque drawn on the National Bank of New Zealand, Reefton, for £7 10s, was a valid order. (3) On November 4, obtaining from William Henry Hill the sum of £4 14s 6d in money by falsely representing that a cheque for £9 10s drawn on the National Bank of New Zealand, Reefton, -was a valid order. . Some Money Repaid. Chief-Detective Carroll said that Rogers was married on November 4 and the charges arose out of his preparations for the bridal cars and the wedding feast. He went to the Gold Band Taxis and engaged two cars, tendering in payment a cheque for £9 10s, signed in the name of W. T. Rogers, and received £4 14s 6d in change. The cars attended tbe wedding, but the cheque was found to be no good. He had received the cheque forms from someone at Papauui on November 1, and filled them in later. The same day, his wedding day, he went to the firm of T. H. Green and Co. and bought a roll of ham, representing that he had authority to book it to the account of Henderson and Crewes, Ltd. He had at one time been employed by that company. The account was sent to them and they would not pay it. They got in touch with Rogers and he went along and paid it with another cheque, signed with the name of Herne.

“This cheque,” said the Chief-Detec-tive, “was just as good as the other.” Rogers then went on his wedding tour on the West Coast. He had repaid the money owing to T. IT. Green and Co., but not to the Gold Band Taxis. Rogers had several previous convictions. lie was convicted on five chargfes of theft in Wellington some time ago and admitted to probation for three years. He was convicted for a breach of his probation order, and again convicted in March for false pretences, when he was admitted to probation for two years, so that he was still on probation. Expected a Loan. Dr Haslam, for the accused, said that up to the last moment Rogers had been relying on a brother to lend him money, but he had not received it. He had seen Mr Henderson, of the firm of Henderson and Crewes, who had given him permission to use the firm’s name so long as he paid cash. He had been allowed to trade at warehouses in their name. Restitution had been made to T. IT. Greeq and Co. Rogers had also been to the Gold Band Taxis before the trouble came to a head, and said that he would pay them. He went back before he was arrested to see Mr Trillo, the proprietor, and last night sent his wife down to make arrangements to pay the money. Mr Henderson was not prepared to take Rogers back to the firm, but was prepared to help him as far as he could. “Everything possible has already been done for him,” said the Magistrate. “He cannot be allowed to continue defrauding the public as he has been.” On two charges, the accused was convicted and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour, and on the third charge, fourteen days’ iml prisonment with hard labour.