FARM MANAGER IN TROUBLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 48, 19 May 1927, Page 9

FARM MANAGER IN TROUBLE

ADMITS FORGERY AND ISSUING OF VALUELESS CHEQUES WILLIAM FRANCIS KELLY, aged 22, answered a rariety of charges by way of fraud, passing valueless cheques and forging a telegram, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court this morning. He was charged, first, with, at New Plymouth, on March 25, obtaining goods and money to the value of £2l 10s by means of a valueless cheque, and similarly at Auckland on April 2 with obtaining £lO by a valueless cheque. He was also charged with attempting to obtain £3O by valueless cheques, and that on March 3, at Auckland, did obtain credit by fraud. Finally, he was charged with at Auckland, on April 29, forging a telegram by erasing the words “Green’s Corner. Mr. Kelly, Royal Hotel. So sorry Kell. Will call 3 to-day.— Ruth,” and inserting words, “Christchurch. Mr. Shayne, Royal Hotel, Auckland. Regret cannot help. Suggest you come home at once.—J. Shayne.” Chiel’-Detectlve Cummings conducted the case for the police. H. Russell Gaisford stated that accused had managed a farm for his brother, Edward Claude Gaisford, at Awakino. He had authority then to sign cheques. Accused was claiming from E. C. Gaisford £4O for wages, hut against this there was a shortage of stock, 200 sheep and cattle missing, and the present position was not ascertainable. Gertrude Kane, a clerk at the Royal Hotel, which Kelly made his headquarters in Auckland, gave evidence on the charge relating to payment of his hotel bills by cheque and the return of both the £5 and £lO cheques, which were signed “W. F. Kelly, per E. C. Gaisford. Farm account.” Marked, “No authority to sign.” Accused then paid £ls. Harold Beason Robinson, manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, Auckland, gave evidence that accused had tried his firm with a cheque for £3O, but from reply to inquiry which witness made he refused to cash it. William James Meredith, chief clerk at the Auckland Telegraph Office, deposed to the alterations which accused had made to the telegram referred to in the charge. Constable Albert gave evidence as to accused’s arrest, stating that he found the telegram in his possession. Accused admitted altering the words. He made a statement that he had borrowed £2B from a guest at the Royal Hotel to pay his hotel bill. Accused was remanded to New Plymouth on the first charge and pleaded guilty to the others, and was committed for trial to the Supreme Court.