SHAM £5 NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1927, Page 1

SHAM £5 NOTES

MELBOURNE PLOT

SYDNEY. December 30

The most complete plans ' to issue counterfeit notes discovered in Australia for many years are alleged to have been uncovered by .Melbourne detectives recently, alter a month’s investigations. Plant tor the manufacture of the notes was found in a. chemist’s shop at Caulfield, a suburb of Melbourne., and three men were arrested, including the owner of the shop. About a month ago the Criminal Investigation Branch learnt that preparations were being made in one of the suburbs for the production of counterfeit notes on a large scale. Two detectives were detailed to make onquireis, and after a few days they succeeded in obtaining possession of two partially-completed counterfeit L-5 notes. It was also learnt that it was the intention of the counterfeiters to pass off at first about 1000 of the notes. The detectives gradually narrowed their lines of enouiry until they discovered where a eounterleit plant was installed, and they kept it under observation lor several days. CHEMIST’S SHOE RAIDED. Two parties of detectives raided the chemist’s shop, one through the front door and the other through the hack. Both parties rushed into a hack room, where there were two men. One. it is alleged, was turning a handle connected with a metal roller, which moved backwards and forwards over a marble slab. Tile mechanism was so arranged that, as the roller turned, the marble slab moved automatically in the same direction. .Examining the apparatus later, the detectives found etched a. few inches apart on Hie marble slab copies oi the face and back of a. Co note. In a search of the room, they found a large number of sheets of the paper somewhat similar to that used in the making of genuine notes, and cut to the size of a Co note. Printed in orange capitals in the centre 1 of many of the sheets was the word “ Five.” Several of the sheets had printed on one side a copy of the face of a Co note. Close scrutiny, it is said, revealed that the copy differed in only one particular from a genuine note—one letter in a small line of print at the bottom of the note was misplaced. Also found in the room were many tins, bottles, and iars of dyes and inks, a second marble slab considerably smeared with 1 griHwi and black ink. and a hook intitled “ Practical Lithography.”

The three men arrested were Lance Phillip Skelton, aged 24 years, signwriter: John Francis Gilligan, aged 2 • > years, chemist; and Boy Horatio o~>tiierg. aged 29 years, paper merchant. They were released on hail, and when they were scheduled to appear in Court the following day, Gilligan was missing. His hail was estreated, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, hut. he has not yet boon apprehended.