VALUELESS CHEQUE.

Wairarapa Age, 5 May 1934, Page 7

VALUELESS CHEQUE.

MAGISTRATE IMPOSES FINE. RESTITUTION TO BE MADE. WELLINGTON, May 4. “He comes of a very excellent family, but he’s a bit of a black sheep,” said the Probation Officer (Mr. T. P’. Mills) in the Magistrate’s Court today in reference to Leo Victor Renall, who pleaded guilty to obtaining £5 from R. C. Burns by a false pretence, and was fined £5. Detective-Sergeant L. Bevell said that the accused became acquainted with Burns in January. He told Burns he was short of cash, and asked him to cash a small cheque. He presented a cheque for £5 on the National Bank at Dannevirke, and Burns gave him £5, but the cheque was returned from the bank marked “no account.” Burns later received £1 by way of restitution from the accused. “Although this is the first time he has been charged with false pretences, we have knowledge of other cheques he has issued,” said the Detective-Sergeant. Describing the case as an unfortunate one, Mr. E. D. Blundell, for the defence, said that Renall was a married man, 37 years of ago. He belonged to one of the best-known and most highly respected families in the Wairarapa, and had an excellent reputation and a good war record. The act was a foolish one because it was an offence which could not go undetected for long. The amount involved was small and the accused would pay Burns what was still owing. Counsel asked for a substantial fine or a term of probation.

Mr. Mills thought that a fine would best meet the case. Hitherto the accused’s mother had met the payment of his cheques. Mr. E. Page, S.M., fixed default of payment at one month’s imprisonment and ordered restitution of the balance of the money to be made.—(P.A.)