THE WELLINGTON STAMP FRAUDS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2507, 2 April 1881, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON STAMP FRAUDS.

The Wellington correspondent of the “ Lyttelton telegraphs as follows:—Downs was charged at the Police Conrt to-day with using defaced duty stamps, and so defrauding the revenue. Mr Izard, Grown prosecutor, said that five informations had been sworn. He stated that a large number of deeds had been tampered with, and stamps of very considerable value removed. Mr Edwards, solicitor, defended prisoner. Mr Cheeseman, DeputyRegistrar of deeds, deposed to receiving a deed for registration. It bore stamps to the value of 275. Deeds in the custody of the Department are put into a box, and the box placed in an iron safe. When deeds are taken away the originals are compared with the copies kept in the books of the department. George Clark, clerk in the department, deposed to copying the deed in question into a book. The deed was removed by Mr Charles Brandon, but it was afterwards brought back. Alfred Brandon, solicitor, deposed that Downs had been in the, employment of the firm Brandon ' and Son* At one time he bad charge of the registration of deeds and latterly he had been managing clerk. Cheques were drawn by the firm for fees, as required, and handed to Downs to procure stamps. The" deeds were kept in the safe, of which Downs had a key. A great many deeds in the office had had the stamps removed, and on other deeds stamps have evidently been tampered with. Open cheques of £ls, £2O, and £3O, for the purchase of stamps were drawn and handed to Downs. John Thomson* clerk, with Messrs Brandon and son, deposed to the words “ Brandon and Son ”on the defaced stamps to be in Downs’ handwriting. Blair, of the firm of Lyon and Blair, examined as an expert, deposed that the deeds had evidently been soaked in water to remove the stamps. Downs was committed for trial on the first charge. Same bail as before in £BOO being accepted. The other charges were postponed till Wednesday. i