HOKITIKA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2738, 1 July 1885, Page 2

HOKITIKA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

[Before J. Giles, Esq., R.M.] Monday, June 29. [From the West Coast Times.] EMBEZZLEMENT. Frederick Ransom Seaborn was charged, on remand, with having embezzled various sums of money, amounting to £2l 15s, the property of the Government Insurance Association. Mr Purkiss prosecuted ; the accused was undefended. Mr Purkiss said accused was appointed traveling agent by the Government Insurance Association ; his duties were defined; he was authorised to accept premiums, and pay the amount into the nearest bank to the credit of the Association. The Government issued to him a deposit book, with three blocks; one was to be given to the insurer, one to the bank, and the other kept by accused, to be ultimately handed to the Government. The contract disclosed that all moneys received by the agent were to be paid into the bank; agents were not allowed to retain money as against commission or salary. In eight cases the accused had retained money. Mary Brooks, a widow, residing, at Aiahura, said—l know the accused; he saw me at Arahura about life insurance in February last; he asked me to insure in the Government Life Insurance Association. I made a proposal to ensuie my life for £100; I was to pay the premiums at the rate of £1 3s 4d quarterly ; I paid the accused the first quarter's premium of £1 3s 4d, and got from him the receipt produced. Mary Ann Herrick, wife of Charles Frederick Herrick, of Hatter's Terrace, Nelson Creek, miner, deposed—l know the accused; I saw him in Hatter's Terrace in February last on life insurance business. He induced me to make a proposal to insure my life for £IOO ; I was to pay the premiums by half-yearly payments of £4 16s each ; I received jhe receipt produced for £4 16s from the Recused. Joseph Woolar Hemy, storekeeper, residing a* - Marsden, said—l know the accused ; I saw him on February last at Mariden; he interviewed me on life insurance business; he induced me to insure in the New Zealand Government Life Insurance Association for £IOO on my own life; I was to pay £2 15s lOd half-yearly in respect of the insurance; I paid accused that amount, and got from him the receipt now produced. Albert Sampson, living at Taylorville, a miner, said—l know the accused ; he saw me on January last in Greymouth; he induced me to insure my life in the New Zealand Government Association for the sum of £2OO on my own life; I was to pay £2 4s 4d per quarter as premium ; I paid the first quarter's premium £2 4s 4d, and got a receipt for it which I sent to the head office at Wellington. William M'Gavan, a storeman, living at Gieymonth, said—l know the accused. In January last he induced me to insure my life for £250 in the New Zealand Government Life Insurance Association. The premium was fixed at £2 18s 31; I paid that amount to accused, aud sent my receipt to the General Manager at Wellington. Joseph Pike, coach driver, residing at Reefton, deposed' that in March last he paid accused the sum of £3 0s 4d, being the first quarterly instalment of the premium on an insurance of his life of £2OO. He produced the receipt. Thomas Masou Ellis, a miner residing at Reefton, deposed that in the month of March last, he insured his life in the Government Life Insurance Association for £IOO, and paid accused 12s lOd as quarterly instalment of the premium. Receipt produced. George Cn'esdne St. George, a clerk in the Ba.-.k ..f Now- Zetland, Reefton, said : There was an account opened- in that bank wilh ri M . G.^tpincut Life Insurance Aasociatiou. Between the Ist January last and Saturday last t

27th June, the accused paid no moneys in to the bank at Reefton 10 the credit of the Government Life Insurance Association account. Thomas Edward Foy, clerk in the Bank of New Zealand at Greymoutb, said :—There is an account open at the bank at G.eymouth with the Government Insurance Association; trom January Ist last up to Saturday lust-, accused paid in no money to the credit of the Association; between Greyrooutn and Reefton and Reefton and Weatport there is no branch of the Bank of New Zealand. Gerard Wra. Sampson, Postmaster at'Reefton, said—l am insurance agent at Reefton for. the New Zealand Government Life Association. I know the accused; I had two conversations with him in the middle of March, respecting premiums he had leceived. I received instructions from the head office to examine accused's books, and report the number of the last receipt issued; accused gave me his deposit receipt book; the book produced is the one (book put in); the last receipt issued tlien and now was dated 17th March, 1885, and numbered 21,162; we spoke about the duplicate not having been forwarded to the head office. On the day following ray first interview I saw accused again, and urged him to pay in the premiums he had received ; he acknowledged he had spent money in traveling expenses and had none to pay in. I have not seen accused since. To accused : You made no objection to my examiniug the deposit leeeipt book. Mr Purkiss asked for a remand until Monday next, at 2 p.m., which was granted, bail being allowed as before, accused in .£IOO, and two sureties of £SO each. The Court then adjourned.