VALUELESS CHEQUE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 936, 5 December 1933, Page 8

VALUELESS CHEQUE.

Young Man Sent to Prison. ' It is impossible to allow him probation and 1 don’t see that anything can be done in that direction,” said Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., to-day. “ The object of probation is to try to make good citizens. The only other alternative is gaol. Three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.” The case was one in which Robert Hector Butcher, thirty-three years of age, of Rosewarne Street, was charged that on November 18 he obtained from James William Hider goods to the value of 3s 6d and £3 Os 6d in money by means of a valueless cheque drawn cn the Commercial Bank of Australia. Sub-Inspector G. B. Edwards prosecuted. Mr Hunter appeared for the accused, who pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Edwards said that accused went to a butcher’s shop and obtained meat and money by presenting the cheque. Later it was returned by the bank. When interviewed, accused admitted stealing four cheque forms from his brother. He had made out two cheques and stated that pressure was being brought on him by the Commissioner of Unemployment to make levy payments, and so he had adopted this means of getting the money. The Sub-Inspector added that the accused had been before the Court previously. Mr Hunter said that the man was a little weak mentally. He lived with his brother and parents. He went to his brother’s room and took the cheque forms. He had been out of work for some time. “ He says he spent the money on clothes and the purchase of unemployment stamps,” added Mr Hunter. “ His brother is also prepared to make restitution.” Mr Hunter pointed out the easy way in which it was possible to pass cheques. He added that accused was not up to normal, and it did not seem that gaol would be any good. Accused had had reformative detention previously, and if given another chance the brother would do his best to keep him out of trouble.