BREACH OF BANKRUPTCY ACT,

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2538, 26 June 1909, Page 6

BREACH OF BANKRUPTCY ACT,

A SOLICITOR SENTENCED. [Pick '’uksc .\ssocjaTlOn. NAPIER, June 26. At the Supreme. Court to-day, John James Patterson, solicitor, of Dannevirke, was found guilty of breaches of the Bankruptcy Act. Counsel for the accused, in asking for tho clemency ot tho Court, said that his client had. been in New Zealand for 34 years, and during that period had borne an unblemished character. For six years of the last ten he had been a member of the Board of Education. For six years he had been chairman of tho Board of Governors of the. High School at Dannevirke, and for three years he had acted as a school commissioner. He had been AlayoCof Dannovirke on more, than one occasion. Mr. Justice Chapman, in passing sentence, said that he was sorry he could not accede to tho request of counsel. It would be a- very invidious thing if ho attempted to take such a course in this case, seeing how he had dealt with other men where fraud was not alleged. As a solicitor, accused should have kno-wn the provisions oi the bankruptcy law. The jury had no alternative but to convict. Ho (His Honor) would take into consideration the position which the accused had held and his advancing years. He was sorry to have to sentence, a man of the accused’s career and reputation, bi\k he must do his duty. The accused would bo sentenced to two montlis’ imprisonment, without hard labor, and IDs Honor would communicate with tne Minister to see what could be done to keep tho ' accused away from other criminals.