A YOUNG THIEF

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 690, 9 December 1902, Page 3

A YOUNG THIEF

ALLEGED FORGERY. At tho Polioo Court yesterday, before Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., Wi Puki Korau, a young native ,was charged, first, with having forged a cheque. Tho prosecution was conducted by Sergeants Siddells, who called Robert Craill, of Patutahi, hotelkeeper. Witness stated that on the 27th inst. accused eamo to his hotel. Ho stated he had lost his horse at Matawhero Hotol on tho night previous. In payment for his dinner he tondored a cheque tor £5. Witness asked him whero ho got the cheque, and he stated he came from Tokomaru. Witness took tho cheque, and gavo him £4 16s. Tho cheque was signed “ Mr Williams.” His Worship : I can’t understand any business man cashing such a chequo as this. It is quite obvious it is not a genuine document. You desorve to lose your monoy. Witness stated that ho knew there was a Mr Williams up the coast, but he had nover been there in his life. His banker had informed him the cheque was valueless. Edward Quinn, hotelkeepor, Matawhero, deposed that on the 27th of last month accused called at his hotel and presented tho cheque produced, asking witness to cash it, which ho refused to do. His Worship : I should think so. Horace E. Dodd, accountant at tho Bank of New South Wales, Gisborne, gave ovidenco that tho cheque produced drawn on his bank was valueless. Detective Nixon deposed that he saw aceusod at Gisborne last on the Ist inst., and showed him the chequo. PIo said it was not his cheque, and ho knew nothing about it. On tho -Ith accused voluntoorod the statement that ho had himself written it, and that tho publican at Patutahi had cashod it. Accused, being charged, statod “ I wish to say that I gavo tho chequo to the hotelkeeper. All that ho says is quite true.” He was committed to tho Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence. Prisoner was further charged with stealing a saddle, valued at 85s, the property of Petor McKain, at Waipiro. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and sentence was deferred. A charge of stealing a saddle, tho property of Frederick Lloyd, near Waipiro, was also admitted. A final charge of stealing a saddlo from Morgan Horua, at tho same place, was denied, accused stating it was a relative of his living in tho same settlement who had lent the saddle to him. Sergeant Siddells withdrew this charge, stating that it was known whore the saddle was. It had not been sold, and would be returned. In answer to His Worship, Sergeant Siddells stated that nothing had previously been known about prisoner, but that ho had been going at a great rate lately. Ihero had been a number of reports of horse-stealing and house breaking, and thoso had been put down to tho accused, as the presence of other folonious characters was not known on the coast. His Worship said that although prisoner f was a first offender, ho could not deal with 1 him under tho First Offenders Probation ' Act. Ho would sentence him for imprisonment with hard labor in the Auckland 1 gaol for 1-1 days on each charge, the sen- ' teuces to be cumulative.