A STORY OF A CHEQUE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 105, 8 November 1915, Page 3

A STORY OF A CHEQUE.

At the Magistrate's Court on Friday last, before Mr P. V. Frazer, S. 11., William Coostantine Webster was charged with the tbeft of a cheque for £3 Is 3d, the property of the Wsikato Farmers' Co-operative Bacon Company, Ltd. The accused pleaded not guilty, . and was defended by Mr Mc- \ Connell. The facts were admitted, and j were somewhat unusual. It appears that in May last the defendant sold a pig to the Company, for which he afterwards received a ' cheque tor £2 lis 3d. Some little time later he received a cheque for i £3 In 3d, tnyable to E. C. ' Webster, which he returned to the I Company, station that he had already been paiJ for hia pig. By inme error, the Company returned it to him, and he then decided to ca?h it, and make use of the pro- I ceeds until some explanation was j forthcoming. Subsequently the ] agent tor the Bacon Cupany wrote { to bim, statng that the cheque was made out to E. C. Webster instead of E. C. Martin, and asking for a ] refund, The defendant repaid the money. " The defendant, on being cross- I examined in Court, admitted that he meant to retain the munev if no trouble were made, though he knew it had been sent in error. At the same time, he intended to return it as soon as a claim was ] made. i The Magistrate said that defend- j ant's actinn amounted in law to j tbeft, though of a very mild char- j acter, but in view of the peculiar circumstances he would take the j retponsibility of dismissing the j case. j