YOUNG CASHIER DENIES THEFT OF £1,479

Grey River Argus, 3 September 1948, Page 4

YOUNG CASHIER DENIES THEFT OF £1,479

Alleges He Covered Up Predecessor’s Shortages P.A. NEW PLYMOUTH, Sept 2. Declaring that he had acted under a threat of exposure, from Bruce Norman Guilford, whom he relieved as cashier, last Christmas, Ralph Eric Pickering, aged 21, entered the witness box in the Supreme Court late to-day to deny the theft of £1479 19s lid from New Flymouth Borough Council.

Pickering said that Guilford, when on holiday, telephoned from Auckland and asked him to hold out cash to retire a Treasury lodgment held since September 15. He (witness) declined, but he had agreed when Guilford threatened him. This trial had twice been adjourned because of the illness of the defence counsel and it was resumed to-day when the Crown case was completed. Pickering is also charged with the theft of £lOO telegraphed to him at Matamata on January 2'3. There are alternative counts of knowingly receiving stolen money, and, related charges of falsifying Borough books and banking papers. The defence, summarised by counsel, was that Pickering stole no money, but that he paid moneys to Guilford and that .in falsifying the accounts, he had had no intention to defraud, but only to deceive with the object of covering up Guilford’s shortages, until his return from the holiday.