WHEN CLOTHES LIE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 345, 16 August 1930, Page 23 (Supplement)

WHEN CLOTHES LIE

ENGLISH JUDGE EXPLAINS “FALSE PRETENCES” Mr Justice McCardic told some stor» ics at the Leeds Assizes recently,, to illustrate the meaning of “false pretences” in connection,with a case that was before him. Costume was sometimes tho essence of false pretence, he said. A man in naval uniform entered a restaurant and said, “I am Captain Brown, of H.M.S. Terrible, and tho Admiralty has authorised me to obtain a luncheon at this place and debit it to the Admiralty.” But ho was not a naval officer and had no authority from the Admiralty. Tho false pretence there was not only the word of mouth but tho pretence of uniform.

In another case a young ma z n went into a shop in a University town wearing cap and gown, and, giving the name of Brown, obtained goods for which he never paid. He made no promise to nay, and his name was Brown, but the fraud in that case was by the false pretence of tho cap and gown.

Then there was the well-dressed man who went into a fashionable restaurant. gave an order for dinner and wines and when the bill was presented said: “I have no money.” The question was whether he had committed a criminal offence. It was hold that his attire and manner secured him credit under the pretence that he had money and he had no intention in his mind of paying when he ordered tho dinner and the wine.