IN THE COURTS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10308, 18 January 1927, Page 6

IN THE COURTS

VALUELESS CHEQUES

GREYAIOUTH, Jan. 17. At the Police-Court this morning William Roberts was sentenced to six months’ gaol with hard labor on each of six charges of obtaining money aggregating £34 by means ot valueless cheques, the sentences to be concurrent. —P.A. BODY OF NEWLY-BORN CHILD FOUND. W AIM ATE, Jan. 17. The ’ bodv of a newly-born male child was found in the dry riverbed near the town this morning. An inquest will be held to-morrow. —1 .A. THEFT OF AIONEY ON ZANE GREY’S SCHOONER SECOND MATE PLEADS GUILTY MORE SERIOUS CHARGES ALLEGED AGAINST ACCUSED AUCKLAND, Jan. 17. Alt mar Leif Andersen, aged 3S vears, a Norwegian, a second mate of Zane Grev’s schooner Fisherman, was charged at the Police Court on the fol.owing counts: Theft of £74 in English money and 25 dollars in American currency, rape, attempted rape, and aggravated assault on a female. Accused pleaded guilty to the, theft of the money and not guilty to tlie other charges. The master of the schooner gave evidence that he left the money in the chartrooni on December 31, and it was missing on the following day. Subsequently accused admitted stealing it. A harbor board gatekeeper said that when accused went ashore on the evening of December 31 he pulled two rolls of pound notes from his pocket, adding that he was a movie man, and was going to have a good time.. A young married woman said accused spoke to her in the city on New A’ear’s Eve, and they walked to Albert Park, where accused caught her and thumped her several times on the head. He tore her clothing from her, and in the struggle a tooth was broken, while she received severe injuries to the eye. Evidence was given that accused id admitted that a bloodstained handkerchief with the initial “A” in one corner, found in Albert Park next morping was his. When arrested accused said he could not remember what happened on New Year’s Eve as lie was very, drunk.—P.A.

CONVERSION OF CAR AND I' HEFT OF ACCESSORIES VALUELESS CHEQUES CASHED AUCKLAND, Jan. 17. The conversion of a hired motor car valued at £229, the theft of accessories valued at £6 19s 6d, and the cashing of numerous valueless cheques at town shops between Auckland and Putaruru were admitted by John Albert Roberts, aged 23 years, in the Police Court. Evidence was given that accused hired the car from Williams Rental Cars, and after using it for some weeks paid for it by means of a valueless cheque. He applied for the car for another week, but was asked for payment in advance, and gave another valueless cheque. Meantime, accused had driven the car to the Waikato district, cashing more valueless cheques on the way. He was eventually arrested at Putaruru. He bad previously been fined £2O for a false declaration under the Marriage Act and he said lie had received two years’ probation for forging and uttering.

The Magistrate remanded accused for sentence uifT.il Thursday.—P.A. ASLEEP IN OPIUM DEN 0 CHINESE PROPRIETOR FINED WELLINGTON, Jan. 17. Three men as’eep upstairs with opium pipes still warm besides them, was the discovery Sergeant Bonisch and Constable Howe made when they entered All Chang’s premises, Haining street, to-day. Chang, who is sixty years of age, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court,, and pleaded guilty to having been found illegally in the possession of opium. He was fined £ls or three months’ hard labor.—P.A.