TRIAL OF BANK CLERK

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1947, Page 3

TRIAL OF BANK CLERK

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Nov.. 4. Further reference to th-e book oii forgery in the Wellington Bublie Library, was made in the Supreme Court toaay at the resumption of the trial of Poter Edward Millet, aged 24, elcrk, wlio is charged on three couuts of forgery, three of nttering forged documents and one of the theft of Government stock certiiicates of the face value of £10,000. Detective-Sergeant Ilogan, reealled, eaid that his inquiries showed that the book referred to at yesterday \s hcaring ghowed that it had been drawn from the library in connection with. the training manual for clerks in tli-e money order and savings banks section of the Post Ofiice. Counsel for accused (Dr. Mazengarb) said he was satisfied with the explauation. He had raised the question solely because the def^nce was not in a position to make such detailed inquiries on its own bchalf and he did not; wisli siuy possible clue overlooked.'. Eesuming his evideiicq Sergeant Colclough gave a detailed gxplahatioh sof iingerprints found on Ihe dpcuments connected with the charges.' To' '' tlie Court he said that to forge Iingerprints a person would require the geiiuine prints and a good knowledge of photography, of rubber stamp rnaking and of fingerprinting. The chances of forgery were remote. The only forgery he had seen done was oasily detectable as such. Aiter lengthy croas-examination on fingerprints, Sergeant Colclougli said he did not recall having told accused, in their first intervilew: "Peter, the whole crime seems so clear to the polie-e ( that it would be useless for you to deny it." He could not deny that fiomethiug of the sort might have been Baid and that accused replied: "Well, I didn't do it. " Samuel Hall, in charge of the examination, including the handwriting, of the questioned documents for the Post Ofiice, said that his examinalion of the three documents handed to him by th-e police led to his identifying the writing thereon as that of accused. Witness was of the opinion that the siguatures and initials on the documents were forgeries, having compared them with the handwriting of the persons purported to be the signatories. He also considered that the envelope addressed to "Reserve Bank, Wellington," was so addressed by accused and that the blue receipt-signed by "John

Low" contained in the envelope, was signed by accused. Witness described methods of identifying suspected handwriting. Dr. Mazengarb asked if witness agreed that there should be a comparison of the similarities in the questioned and admitted writing. Hall said he did and that he had made notes of the differences between accused 's handwriting and that alleged to be his on the forgeries. Dr Mazengarb asked; Unless you weigh both sides you may easily prove a genuine writing to be forged or vice versa? Witness; Differences must be aecounted for. They can't be overlooked. The cross-examination of witness on points in handwriting continued till the Court adjourn'ed at 5 p.m. till tomorrow.