AUSTRALIAN NEWS. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF BANK BONDS. Melbourne, December 18.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 331, 5 January 1889, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF BANK BONDS. Melbourne, December 18.

A iiur.HKiiv of bonds, supposed to be of tho value of nbouL £13,000, oocuned at, i thy National Uank 01 Australasia, Collinsstreet, this afternoon, (ieorge L. Onyons, chief managers clerk, was. arrested. Onyons has been in the bank since 1876. Two years after joining the bank, on account of the ability he displayed and hi.*- character for trustworthiness, he was appointed to the position oi chief manager's, clerk, his salary increasing till he was now receiving .£320. Amon^t his duties was the collection of interest on dobentuies held by the bank in safe custody tor clients. The debentures were kept >n die strong 1 room, of which there were two ke^s. One whr held by the accountant, and the othe*- by Onyons. By j some means Onyons succeeded in getting the accountant c key, or a duplicate. He had a private account at the Mercantile Bank. In October lust year he applied to the manager for an oveidraft, ottering four Fitzroy City Council debentures as security. Theo* erdiaitwas granted. Further advances were made on security of Fitzroy, Emerald Hill, and Pi ah ran debentures, till th i' overdraft stood at o\ er jt'6,ooo. In .J une laM , on the plea that he desired to send the Prahran bonds to the London market, Onyons replaced the security with bonds which he stated his brother had kindly lent him, Kew bonds being withdrawn in -July on a similar pretence, and weic replaced by Footsciay and others. The leturned bonds were dealt with by Onyons through an ther bank not named. From that time his account icmaincd almost inopeiutive till recently. The bank calling in lavt»e overdrafts, asked him to reduce. Onyons replied ptomptly that if the bank preyed him he must realise his securities. There were submitted to valuation. Oayons expressed himselt satisfied with the values in the state of the market, and the debentures were placed in fche hands ot biokers for sale. Onyons's overdraft being reduced by the proceeds to 1882 more than was covered by 12 Fitzroy debentures held by the bank. Amongst the purchasers was a well-known city brokei, who found that the numbers of the debentures corresponded with the numbers of thoso he himself had deposited with the National Bank. This circumstance led to the detection of the frauds. Onyons had a bix-chambered revolver loaded and a bottle of brandy on him ab the time he was ancstcd. A careful examination of the debentures kopt in the bank reveals that the total value of the bonds missing is £16,700, of which £2,700 is the propeity of the bank, the balance being held by various customers. Onyons, who is only 28 yoars old, being absent from the bank on Saturday, a messenger was sent to his residence at Brighton Beach, with whom he returned to the bank and then made a statement to the general manager, who took it down in wiiting ; but tho tenor of the statement is kept strictly secret. It is supposed that it shows how Onyonsgota duplicate key, the officials stating that they have not the slightest suspicion of the accountant being in the collusion. Onyons is a married man, his mother living in the same house with him ; neither his wife nor mother was aware of the robberies till after his arrest.

The bodies of 11 children have been found at the bottom of a reservoir at St. Ambrose La Janne Lauretto in Canada. In consequence of the wishes of the Emperor, the Berlin racing clubs have decided not to hold meeting: on Sunduys. The Earl of Kintore, the new Governor of South Australia, resigns tho captaincy of the Yeomen of the Guards. He will bo shortly gazetted K.G.M.G. The London " Standard " elates that an Australian shipping Hrm of some standing has become involved in difficulty. The liabilities are estimated at £120,000.