Levin S. M. Court

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 September 1915, Page 2

Levin S. M. Court

At the sitting oi tne Leviu S.M. Court, on Thursday moiuing, beforeMr J. W. Poynton, S.-Vl.. H. E. Lod'j;o appealed on remand to uiiswe-r three charges of intent to defraud, in that ho omitted to enter particular** oi the receipt on the loth April, of the sum of JL-if2 18k 2s, received lioiu Messrs Martiti and Atkinson on behalf of Archibald Hall; the* particulars of the receipt of £10 3s from W. Pringle on 3rd '.Marchj IUI-1, and particulars jI the receipt of Jt'6'3 Is from U. \V. Taylor on '20th February," IUIS. The charges/were laid by the Audi-tor-Geiienil's Departinont and C'ou«table .Hayrio prosecuted, while Mi , W. S. I'ark appeared for the defendant. .Mr Park consented to the three charges being heard together and intimated that defendant would plead guilty. Constable Bagric said that defendant had Been clerk ol the Horoulieinia County Council lor the -past live or .six years. After lie left in .May last to enter the military training camp at Tieiithain the auditor loiind that rateb that were paid had not been entered up in tile cash book. William I'ihigl", airpcuti'i , . residing at \Yei;ji<;:i, ftuj/i thai, on or about ■'srd Marcli, iUI-1, ■ lie paid accused. a<s coiiiity clerk, tin; sum of £10 3.s tor rates. He could not say whether lie had received a, receipt or not; ,he had .searched for it but failed to find it. 'The payment \va« made by cheque, and lie would recognise it again. The cheque produced was the one. It had oeen debited to hi« account at the bank

George William Taylor, farmer, residing at Otaki, said that he posted a cheque for £03 Is for rates to the Horowheinia County Council on the 20th February of this year, and had not received a receipt. The cheque had been debited to his account at tho Hank of Australasia, endorsed by tho accused.

Alexander Lamb. Government Auditor, said that it was hits duty to audit the books of the Hurowhenua County Council. He audited the books In •June, and again a lew weeks ago. Cringle's cheque for .110 lis was credited to the county fund on the !(itb Ala roll, 191-1. but there was no entry ;u the cash hook showing the receipt ef this money. Regarding Taylor's cheque of £'(33 Is it was lodged w lie credit of the county fund on the 20th February, l'Jlo; its receipt was not entered in the cash book. The. Martin and Atkinson's cheque of C 32 18.s 2d ond behalf of Archibald Hall on account of rates for 19l;3-191-l, was paid to the credit of the county fund on the 21st April. 191-1, and a receipt given on the council's form,-but it was not entered in the cash bood. The butt of the receipt given was used (or another item. The amount shown on the butt was accounted lor. but not the amount paid on behalf of Archibald /tall. The amounts .wore not equal. The total deficiency amounted to Uill) lis lOd, all of which was paid back to the county fund on September Bth

In reply to Mr Park, the wilnoss "fated that in nil cases the cheques had been paid iulo the fund, and th-.» inference was that an equivalent mini had been taken out. Me could not say whether any payments had been made by cash by the accursed. Small amounts might have been paid,'but it would be unusual to pay a large amount in cash. If no check was kept «f small cash payments, such as -wages, it would result in the books showing a deficiency hut .such payments should bj made by cheque. Defendant pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington, for sentence, to-morrow (Saturday). On the application of Mr Park bail was allowed in accused's own recognizance 01 CIOO. and two sureties of £50 each. amwai—»■■—ijro