ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1004, 2 March 1883, Page 2

ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT.

John Black, late Clerk of the Counly Council, was brought up at the R.M. Court, yesterday, before C. A. Wray Eeq.f-8.M,, upon., another charge of embezzlement. The following evidence was taken;—

; E. C. Homer, Clerk of Patea County Council : I produce rale-book, containing names of persons by whom rates are payable and the amounts. For 1881-82 name ofßahnforth appears. Amount of rates stated to be due by him is £2 19s. There is no entry in the book of payment of the rate in question j alhrates paid should be entered in first instance ; in collector’s book. There is no record in the month of April, 1882, of payment of £2 19s, by Balmforlb. Below an entry, dated 27tb Sept., 1882, is entered W. B dmfortb, £2 19s. There is no entry in casli book of receipt of £5 from Thomas lon ; and Mr Prouse, for slaughtering licenses, fees for licenses should be entered in cash book specifically. I produce rate notice and receipt.book. „ 'There ,-is a butt, .sbowing particulars of Bibnfortb’s rate, £2 19s, for 1881-82. The notice form is gone, receipt form is still there. 'This would imply in ordinary cases that.. rate had; not bean paid. =-.A;-.i r ' ; William Balm forth, publican in Patea : I received Nr notice for payment of rates. I paid them fo Mr Black. Notice produced is one I received, and receipt received. I paid Black by cheque ; cheque produced is one I gave. Black said he had no receipt form with him, and receipted it at foot of notice. I paid Black on 22nd April, 1882. J Cross-examined ; I , paid amount in Central Hotel, and that is the reason he had, no receipts.

Thomas lon : I produce slaughtering license in favour of lon Bros. I got the license from my brother, John lon. R. C. Tennent, Manager of Bank of ,K'i>w„J3oHth-\Ualoo,.Pn(.o«-.-I—j=t;eefved-a' receipt from Mr Black on back of a pay-in slip for £5, for slaughtering license, in favour of .Mr Prouse. I forwarded receipt to Prouso in a letter dated 11th May, 1882. Richard Prouso : I am a fanner at Whenuakura. I was slaughtering at Kakaramea in 1882. I received a receipt from Mr Tennentlor fee. Receipt could, not relate to any other sum but the fee for 1882. C. W. Powell, clerk in Bank of N.S. W., Patea : Recollect something about paying : .Black some money in 1882 on account of Prouse. Cross-examined ; I do not know Black’s handwriting. I, have no recollection of receipt,produced. John Gordon Rose, Clerk’in the Bank of New Zealand. Cheque has been through our Bank. It was paid in to the credit of Francis Mullen. Robert M'Alister, provincial district auditor : I attended at Patea in September, to audit Black’s accounts, I found no entries in Black’s books regarding'slaughtering fees for 1882. I asked him where the fees were entered in his accounts, he replied there were none. The Rate Book and Collector’s Book were. produced to me. Mr Black said that all monies appearing in Col lector’s Book had been p aid into the Bank excepting £l4 Os Od. Black, stated that the £l4 was all the money he had in hand, of rates collected and not; paid into the Bank. When I examined accounts last September, the inslructiqiis had not been attended to. The books were not kept written up to. date. Monies re-; ceivod were not paid into the Bank. The case was then adjourned until Friday for’ the production of another. witness. ■

TO-DAY’S PEQOEBDINGS. The Court sat at 11 am. the H.M. presiding. Thejcase of John Black adjourned from yesterday was taken first. Mr Barton for the prosecution, and Mr Hamerton for the defence. John lon—l am a settler, trading with my brother as lon Brothers. I have slaughtered cattle in 1882. I took out a license'. I got it from Mr Black, but Mr Harden filled it up. I paid Mr Black £5 by cheque,. . The license (produced) is the one I received, I think 1 paid the fee on February Ist, 1882. Mi- Hamerton said he had no questionsMr Barton said that was the case'for the prosecution. Mr Hamerton said lie would reserve the defence, and accused was then formally committed for trial at the nest criminal session of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth. . Mr Hamerton asked that the total bail be made £IOOO. It was now £BOO. His Worship agreed. . - : :