OTOROHANGA POLICE COURT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 470, 1 June 1912, Page 5

OTOROHANGA POLICE COURT.

A FORGERY CHARGE

In the Police Court, before Messrs Seymour, Vicary and Johnson, J.P's., Morgan Patupatu wa? charged with forging the name of T. G. Hosking to a cheque for £7O and uttering the same. The accused, who is a well educated Maori and speaks English fluently, was represented by Mr Wyman, and Sergeant Ilastie conduced the prosecution. T, G. Hosking. solicitor, said he did not know the cheque produced and that, was not his signature. lie had not had a cheque of that number in his possession.

Cross-examined: Accused was a client of witness'. Was acting for him during April. In early part of April there was a sum of .£lo." coming to accused from the Maniapoto Land Board, and witness had given accused several small advance payments. Accused gave an order to lift the money for him. He knew the accused's handwriting. The writing on the

cheque he did not resemble accused's, although the endorsement was somewhat like it. No money had actually been paid out. of his account on that particular cheque. W. F. Shaw, accountant; at, the Ngaruawahia branch of the Bank of New Zealand, stated that the cheque produced had been lodged by Taika to be placed to his credit in current, account. Checue was for .£7O drawn on the To Awamutu branch, and purported to be signed by T. G. Hosking. The cheque was forwarded to the Te Awamutu branch, and was returned from that branch marked "post dated and signature unlike."

The accused's solicitor here formally objected to this witness giving evidence.

Chas. Thompson, coach proprietor at Kihikihi, said accused about April Bth, asked for a blank cheque. Witness gave him one, ami the number of the one produced corresponded with the butt of witness' cheque book on which witness had written accused's name. Taiki te Hereika, a native settler at Ngaruawahia. had been to the races with accused at Auckland early in April. Accused borrowed £2, and later wanted to borrow more. He asked witness to change a cheque for £7O for him. Witness gave him a cheque of his own for £lB, and next day accused came to witness for the balance o£ the money. Mr Edward Thomson was present at the time, and witness asked Thompson to fill in a cheque for the balance. Thomson then informed witness that accused's cheque was post dated to April 24th, and suggested that witness make his cheque for the following day. Witness did so and gave Morgan the cheque, and he gave witness the cheque produced, which was lodged in witness' bank at Ngaruawahia. Some days later witness met accused at Fraknton and he asked Witness to get the cheque for £7O back as it was no good, and he refunded the money for the cheque. Edward Thomson, livery stablekeeper, said Taiki asked him tu fill in a cheque for £SO for Taiki to sign. The cheque was as part change for a cheque for £7O. Witness informed Taiki the cheque was post dated, and suggested post dating Taiki's cheque. Witness made out the cheque, and Taiki signed it and gave it to accused, who gave Taiki the cheque produced. Constable Drummond stated that on April 22nd he met accused on the Otorohanga station platform and told him that a cheque for £7O had been forged, and the forced cheque was drawn in favour of accused, with accused's name also on the back of the cheque. Asked him if he knew anything about it, and he replied lie did ; not. | This closed the case for the prose- | cution, and accused, who pleaded not | guilty and preferred not to make any | statement, was committeed for trial ; at the Supreme Court at Hamilton on I September ord. Bail was torthcom- | ing, accused in f 100 and two sureties I of £IOO each. j The cuurt was packed with natives, | who appeared to tollow the case very ; closely.