PRISON FOR THEFT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 106, 8 May 1933, Page 6

PRISON FOR THEFT

SUM OF £4 STOLEN A ‘'RACECOURSE GUESSES” “This man can only be described as a racecourse guesser who goes about the country looking for mugs,” said Detective J. Walsh to Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate ’a Court at Wanganui on Saturday morning. He was referring to Arthur Scott, alias Gerald Rutherford, alias Jim Fraser, alias Armstrong, who was charged on four counts: (1) That he incurred a debt of £1 15s to Percy Wright at Wanganui on February 24 by fraud; (2) that at Palmerston North on March 31 he stole £4, the property of J. F. J. Sergent; (3) with committing a breach of the Probation Act at Auckland; and (4) that being a person absolutely excluded from the Marton racecourse, he was found on the course when a meeting was being held.

On the second charge he was sentenced to 12 months’ reformative detention and on the other charges he was convicted and discharged. “There is not a great deal T can say in this man’s favour,” said the detective. 4< He is 29 years of age, and has been in New Zealand for seven years. He has a list of convictions for offences in this country and in England. He gets money from people on racecourses on the pretence that it will he invested and returned one hundredfold. In Palmerston North he got hold of a young man and. by a trick, stole the money he has been charged with securing. “At Wanganui he stayed at a house and after telling various stories, did not pav his board. He has deserted his wife and children and left them destitute in Auckland some month-’ agn. They are living on charitable aid. ”

Accused claimed that he had been supporting his wife and children and had been paying their board.

Mr. Salmon said that in view of accused’s past record and the fact tha* the offences complained of had been committed within two months showed that accused had nnt reformed.