PAY RECEIPTS FORGED

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12613, 25 November 1926, Page 11

PAY RECEIPTS FORGED

MONEY STOLEN FROM CITY COUNCIL WAGES CLERK IN TROUBLE. “I have never met a more exemplary clerk, and I can only use superlatives in describing him.” said Mr Leslie Norton Taylor of Martin Thomas Adams, a clerk, aged 28, who was charged at the Magistrate’s Court yeaterdav with making, two false accountable receipts involving the sum of £8 13s. and with causing the Citv Council to act on them as if they were genuine. He was further charged with stealing sums of money amounting to £llO 3s Bd, the property of the Wellington City Council. Axel Petersen timekeeper for the permanent way department of the Wellington City Council, said that a man named Barber, employed as a welder’s assistant in April last, went off sick on April 22nd, and was entitled to pay amounting te £1 13s Bd. Another man. named Kent, a labourer, left the council on July 7th, and was entitled to £4 5s 9d, and to one day’s pay, 15s 8d Andrew Hunter Barber said that he left the council on April 22nd to go to the- hospital. He denied signing the receipt produced in court. The next witness was Leslie Norton Taylor, chief clerk of the tramways and electricity department in Harris street. He informed the court that accused had been employed in the head office since May, 1921. Latterly he had been wages clerk on a salary of £312 per annum. His duty was to pay wages and pay out on wages sheets to employees calling at the head office. Ho received money from the cashier to pay employees being paid off. Witness said that Adams was a man of sober habits. He was married and had one child. The news of Adams’s arrest came as a great shock to witness.

William Ross McCulloch, Government audit inspector, gave evidence that between May, 1925, and September 1926, be found defalcations amounting to £lll 5s 5d in tho books of the tramways branch of the council.

Detective Sinclair interviewed accused with Detective Bayliss with regard to the alleged forged wages sheet for the roan Kent. Accused was informed that Kent had said his name had been forged on the wages sheet which was then shown to accused. In a statement accused admitted having forged the name® and also admitted having committeed the offence on other occasions.

Mr S. Joll, who appeared for accused, stated that Adams pleaded guilty. The magistrate, Mr E. Page, S.M., committed the accused to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was renewed in his own recognisance of £IOO with a similar surety.