ALLEGED THEFT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 174, 27 February 1914, Page 4

ALLEGED THEFT.

Incident at Mercer. A charge of stealing a cheque fur £•23 and £•) iu cash from the person of W. M. Poland at Mercer on February 9th was preferred against a man named George Roger AN ecks (Mr Lundon) at the Auckland Police Court on Monday before Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M. Poland, who is a contractor at Tuakau, stated that on the day in question he had business to transact in Mercer, and after he had finished it he when into an hotel, where some time later he met the accused, lie had not known the accused before. Witness admitted that lie himself was not quite sober at the time. Later witness and Weeks went down to the river bank, witness leading a horse, and after they had drunk a bottle of beer between them he went to sleep. When l.e woke up about day-break he was alone, his horse had disappeared, and the cheque and all his money were gone. He subsequently found the horse higher in the river bank. To Mr Lundon witness admitted that ojicc ho started, he drank rather heavily, and that on the day in question he had some recollection of the publican refusing to supply him with any more liquor, lio was of the opinion, but could not be absolutely sure that it was the accused who had accompanied him to the river.

11. B. Free, a storekeeper at Tuakau, stated that on tlio morning of February 9th he had given Poland the cheque and £- or £•) in money as change for a larger cheque which Poland had tendered in payment of an account. Evidence was given by Bobert Baxter, teller in the National Bank of New Zealand, to the effect that the in company with Mr Frank Lawry, had gone into the bank on February 10th and the cheque referred to was presented. As it was drawn on the bank at Pukekohe, and witness did not know the signature, he requested him to call liter as he would hive to telegraph to Pukekohe for more information. He subsequently found that paymeat was stopped at Pukekohe. Neither the accused nor Mr Lawry came back to the bank. He was under the impression that it was the accused who had the cheque, and that Mr Lawry was merely introducing him to the bank. Frank Lawry, settler of Ellerslie, stated that accused had told him that he had received the cheque from Mr Poland in the course of some ordinary busiuess. Detective Quartermain, in the course of his evidence, said that the accused had at first denied having tried to cash a cheque, but subsequently admitted that such was the case, adding that he did net know how the cheque came into his possession.

Accused reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.