TWO MEN GO TO GAOL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20282, 17 April 1934, Page 3

TWO MEN GO TO GAOL.

Attempt to Obtain Beer by Valueless Cheque. An attempt to obtain five gallons of beer by means af a valueless cheque resulted in gaol sentences for Sampson Robert Cleland and James Alexander Campbell when they appeared before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning. They were jointly charged with attempting to obtain five gallons of beer valued at 17s 9d and jJS 13s 3d in money from New Zealand Breweries, Ltd., by falsely representing that a cheque drawn on the Bank of New Zealand for £9 11s was a good and valid order. Cleland, aged twenty-eight years, a labourer, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Also pleading guilty, Campbell, aged twenty-seven, a labourer, of Durham Street, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. Cleland was not represented by counsel, but Mr Sargent appeared for Campbell. Chief-Detective Dunlop said that on April 9 Ward’s B rewerv received a telephone message ordering five gallons of beer, for which a taxi-driver called and presented a cheque, which was the subject of the charge. The taxi-driver declared that he had called for the beer ordered by a man named Smith for which the cheque would pay. Inquiries were made at the bank, and it was ascertained there was no man Smith, as the cheque suggested. The beer was not supplied, and the brewery notified the police, who found Cleland waiting for the beer and the change near an hotel. Further inquiries disclosed that Campbell had been given two cheque forms by a man in a bar; he had been frightened to pass the cheque mentioned, but Cleland had done so. Campbell disappeared shortly after the incident. Both men had been before the Court for various offences, but never for the class of offence in the charge. Both men had been drinking. Mr Sargent said that Campbell had been drinking. It looked as if he was clay in the hands of the master-hand, Cleland, who had been convicted for crimes involving dishonesty over a period. Campbell had lived a respectable life for a number of years, and had taken no part in procuring the beer. To the Magistrate, 'Cleland said he did not ring up the brewery. The chief-detective said that Cleland alleged that Campbell had ordered the beer. T]}e probation officer declared that it seemed to be a case where probation was not suitable. The Magistrate': It seems a case for differentiation. One of the men has a bad list. Cleland will be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and Campbell to one month.