AN ORGY OF FRAUD

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 284, 4 January 1930, Page 2

AN ORGY OF FRAUD

Per Press Association.

A TRIP ROUND THE ISLAND. VALUELESS CHEQUES ISSUED.

NEW PLYMOUTH, Last night. "He has been on an orgy of fraud," said Detective Meiklejohn when Hector iMl>ert Stewart was charged with obtaining credit by fraud. Stewart opened a catering business when he arrived in New Plymouth. He hired a car for a period and paid for it by a vaiueless cheque for £20. He hired another car, arranging to return, hut instead he drove with a companion to Wanganui, Palmerston Nortli, Hamilton and Auckland, where lie was arresfced at the Ambassadors Hotel. Both men were taken to Wanganui, and admitted to probation for twelve months for obtaimng credit by fraud. The following day Stewart- was rearrested and sentenced to twelve months reformative detention for ,false pretences. Detectives alleged that in all the towns visited Stewart had issned a cheque. Before leaving New Plymouth he had issued many, and it must have hoen apparent to him that he would land in tronble. Stewart attributed the trouble to business failure and alleged that his partuer had not kept his promises. The detective added that the police could have hrought a number of other charges. The sentence was three months' hard labour concurrently with the existing term.