MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1740, 17 September 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday, Septembeh 17. [Before G. L. Mellish, R e q., R.M., and R.H. Webb, Esq., J.P.] Dettnk and Disobdeedy.---Three persons charged with drunkenness were each fined respectively 10s, 20a, and 4-Oa. Fobging and Uiteeinq—Robert William Jones, remanded from the 10th instant, was charged with forging and uttering a cheque for £3 10a on the Bank of Australasia at Christchurch; also with forging and uttering a cheque for £3 10s on the Bank of New Zealand at Christchurch; also with forging and uttering a cheque for £4 7s 6d on the Bank of New Zealand at Christchurch ; and also with forging and uttering a cheque for £4 10s on the Bank of New Zealand at Kaiapoi. Henry Bake, stationer in High street, deposed that the prisoner called upon him last Friday or Saturday week, and asked if he could give him a cheque for Mr Duncan. Witness understood him to mean B. and D. Duncan, and gave him a blank cheque on the Bank of Australasia. George Todd, draper, in the employ of Boath and Co., Cashel street, deposed that the prisoner called last Saturday week and bought a hat and some other articles, to the value of about 15s, He paid for them with a cheque (the same produced) for £3 10s, and witness gave him the balance in cash, the prisoner endorsing the cheque with the name of W. R. Jones. Prisoner said he was a seaman, and belonged to the Merope. By Mr Neck —The prisoner endorsed the cheque at the request of* the witness. Samuel Needham, residing at Opawa, deposed—that the signature to the cheque produced was not his, nor did it resemble it. Did not know any other person in the district of tho same name. Witness did bank at the Bank of Australasia. Fred Symes, clerk at tho Bank of Australasia at Christchurch, deposed that the cheque produced was presented at the Bank, and returned endorsed “No account, signature unknown.” No one of that name had an account at the Bank. Detective Benjamin said that ho arrested the prisoner on the afternoon of the 9th instant. Explained the charge to him, and he said, “ I admit passing the cheque, but I did not forgo it. A man I met at the White Hart Hotel, named William Phillips, asked me if he wrote out some ‘stiffs,’ would I pass them? I agreed to do so, and it was he that wrote them.” He said Phillips wag in Lyttelton Gaol. The man Phillips is now in the Court. This was the evidence for the prosecution in the first case. The second case of forging and uttering a cheque for £3 10s on the Bank of New Zealand in Christchurch was then proceeded with. The date of the uttering the cheque was the 6th of August, and in this instance was obtained from Mr F. Hooper, manager for Wood Bros., High street, on the representation that it was for Mr A. Duncan, tho seedsman. Mr Andrew Duncan gave evidence to the effect that ho had never authorised any one to sign his name and another witness named John Daley, shopman to Mr Mulligan, draper in High streeet, proved that as in the first case, the prisoner obtained goods from him which ho paid for with the forged cheque bearing the signature of Mr J. E. March, and received the balance in cash. Mr John Edwin March, immigration officer, deposed that the signature to the cheque was 'a forgery, and that he had never authorised the prisoner to sign his name. John Cunningham, clerk in the Bank of New Zealand, proved the presentation of the cheque, and Detective Benjamin the arrest of the prisoner on the charge of forgery and uttering. As before, the prisoner admitted passing the cheque, but denied forging it. In the third case the cheque on the National Bank of New Zealand was obtained from the barmaid of tbe Clarendon Hotel by permission of tbe landlord, Mr Wagner, and was cashed by Katherine Shannon, wife of Patrick Shannon, bootmaker, Victoria street, in payment for two pairs of boots. The cheque bore the signature of Mr J. B. March, and Mrs Shannon got the money for it from Hugh John Heriot, storeman to Mr Watt, carrying on business next door. In tho fourth ease tbe cheque, which was for £4 10s, on the Bank of New Zealand, at Kaiapoi, purposed to bear the signature of Joseph King, a blacksmith at Leestou. It was cashed at the request of the prisoner by Maurice Cohen, son of Sigismund Cohen, licensed pawnbroker, in payment for a coat which he purchased for 255, receiving the balance in cash. As in the other cases, the signature was a forgery. The prisoner, who has undergone three sentences, one month’s imprisonment in 1876 for larceny, in 1577 three months for vagrancy, and in 1878 eighteen month’s imprisonment for larceny, reserved his defence, and was committed to take his trial on all four charges at the next sessions of the Supreme Court,

LYTTELTON. Wednesday, Septette ee 17. [Before J. Beswick, Esq., B.M.J Bbtnnc.—Daniel Ntteon was found on the footpath on Norwich Quay in a helpless state of drunkenness. Dined 20s, or forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, Dbsbetse. —John Hewitt, a boy, was charged with deserting from the barque Dochra. Ordered on board. Civil Case. —H. Hewston v. Bowles, claim £1 10s ; defendant refused to pay, denying that he had incurred the debt. Nonsuited.