FORCED VOUCHERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3046, 5 April 1917, Page 7

FORCED VOUCHERS

feyit SERVANT IN COURT

LARGE r SUM INVOLVED

biltbj, accounts clerk in .the, Mental Hospitals Department, was charged-in tho Magistrate's Court yesMr, L. G,. Reid,' gilt. AUuef-Detectivo Boddam, prosecuting, and.Mr. H.F; O'Leary. appearing forth 6 accused);; with having forged the name of Gray Hassall to .1 Now Zca-' (land . Government voucher of tho Mental Hospitals Department,' purporting to be an authority for the paymont of £89 Us; 9d., 'moneys of the.; Now Zea- ; ,'land^Government, to one J. Thompson, jßos- 694, and on iOctober .14 having used the document as if it 'Were genuine. There wero five other 'informations- precisely, .tho .same in ■charaoter,' but the' vouchers wore' forslightly,varying amounts. ;- :•■ ' ( , Chief-Dctectivo Boddamj in opening, ss'aid the informations: were laid under /the Crimes' Act." Accused was accounts clerk_ in the head, offico of tho Mental Hospitals Department; Dr. Gray HaJS- • sail, the medical., superintendent at 'Porirua Mental Hospital, had authority to certify the vouchers. Not a. ■Earthing iji cash was handled by accused .in.the office.' Owing to '■' the discovery of some irregularities in tho jiomco, the deteotives wore called, in, and eventually Silsby was arrested; Accused had in his possession af> the his arrest £2217 odd, of which was in ; £SO notes.'' Acousdd, •it would'be shown, !was identical with * he /• -Thompson mentioned; in.! the yVpuohers, and was also identical with ian individual who had opened an account attho Bank of .Wei- 1 ■lington. : , ;., : / ..•:.■■..': ■:■■■ -..-■- .■■.-':■ -.'■•'.

Mr. H. ;P. O'Leary stated that accused intended to plead. guilty to • all the charges, which would:greatly simpuf.V matters.. ■ ' ■' . -.-.;■■ ■-• .v* ■

■_ It. was stated in evidence tliat "J; lnompson"; was Silsh.y-himßelf: under "that name the'aooused had opened anraccount: in' the Bank of : Australasia, ■md;rented: a tos.in the Post Office. ' Mfi-o defalcations amounted to Ha' 4 c ?$•• and;t,le recoveries to Awused pleaded guilty, : and was committed to tho Supremo Court 1 ' for sentence..;, - •■'■ ■ ■■■.., •■ , .