NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 19, 24 January 1916, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

ALLEGED FORGERY. A PECULIAR CASE. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 21. Constance Moon, who was a clerk in the Christchulrch Tourist Office during her father’s occupancy of the agency, was charged before Magistrate Bishop to-day that on or about May 10, at Christchurch, she altered an enjry in the bank pass-book from £ls to £lls, thereby committing the crime of forgery. The first witness, G. W. Moon, the father of accused, said he had held the position for five years. His duties were to have absolute charge of the books and cash. His daughter attended to th e banking of all moneys. In June, 1915, the Government auditordiscovered a discrepancy of £l2B 9/1. Subsequently the witness made this sum good. Regarding the shortages, he had not taken any of the money, and was perfectly sur e his daughter did not. He believed the- auditor’s report had revealed an extraordinary state of muddle, but nothing worse. The- case is proceeding.

; SHIPPERS CONFER WITH THE PREMIER. i WELLINGTON, Jan. 21, Representatives of the shipping companies had a conference with the Premier to-day with reference to the shortage of shipping space. The proceedings were adjourned \intil next week, in order that additional information might be obtained regarding the position. “We discussed the arrangements necessary fotr the shipment of New Zealand wool, meat, and dairy produce,” said Mr. Massey to a reporter, later. “Every possible effort is being made to meet the difficulty that has arisen. It is not expected that h.thejre will be any serious trouble with regard to insulated cargo. The difficulty is to deal with the enormous stocks of wool that hav e accumulated at ports during the last few weeks. The number of non-insulated ships available this season is considerably smaller than at the same period last year. The fact that shearing generally has been late has increased the congestion, but we are doing the best we can under the circumstances, and I hope that the trouble is not going to be of very great duration.”