POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 134, 8 June 1903, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

BATUtiDiy, June 6th.—Before Mr. R, L.' Stanford, B.M. | ALLEQHD FOROEEY. j Ohatlts Miller was brought up on rennrd charged with obtaining money by fal-e prtteaces, by mssns of a forged order. S.rgeant Ilnddnll conducted the prosecution, and asked to be allowed to withdraw the c'argeand substitute a fresh itiormationcharging accused with fjrgery. Tae accused, who was undefended, msde no objection, j Accused was then chsrged with J haviog committed forgery at Rahotu on the 14th April, by forging the name of Rua Bishop to an orJer for £}. Sergeant Haddrail opened the cafe,', and said focused bad been wotking for Rua Bishop, and beon paid up in full. On having on thy 14tn he presented aa ord.r for £\ to Mr Hugbsor, a sfcorek.eper at Riho'u, who cshed it, giving hira a &\. and obtaining a rettelpt from accused on the b ticm <,f the order. Ha called Thomss Po'e Hudson, w'co being sworn, siid hs w.s a s ore keeper at Riho'u. Knew accuse! fjr a short time before he presented tho or.'er in question. Erew he was working for ttua B&h">p, Reurmbrr h : s coming to my sto e and pr>s n iog an ord- r, wh ch 1 cishedi (Oi'Jer produce! and mi ked "a" is the one). I w a a H'.t'e douS ful it, and inquired parUcul-r'y fiom a cused, wh-n he twice st&t d tlm thi irder was wiit'en by hii) bui the s : gn i - tire Wis Rua's. j I suisfled myself tint the signa'ure was sifflkr to Rut's ordinary signature. I then wrote out the r.cipt ucderneath tho order asd requested hinl to sign i*, whioh hs did, and I ded him ti £1 note. About a week later Rua came tnto the whan I presented the ord-;r to him, cf which he sail ho had ni knowlelge. When I oshed the order I understood accused was in the errip'oy of Rua Bishop. To accused : When you gave on the order I looked at it. Dj not remember you bu)iog any t >haco;> or cigireUea or changing £1 for you, or yju saying the words " I may as woll p tronisa you as well as eke." Do not remember you asking ma for a -hears'.one as you VMie to dag sheep for ftui. I have an assistant in my shop, a you"g lady, Mis* Whi-e You may have spoken to her. I have' not Ri.'s signa'ure ic my office. I will not swear th*t the signature is not Rui'si

Cois'able Wood was th°n sworn as interproter, and through 1 i a Rua Bishop, a sutler liv.'ng at Oanui, being sworn said : The accused has been in my employ f r some t:m*. lie left me on the 13th April last. On that day I paid him 15s, balance of wages due to him. He we-.t towards R.iho u. He has not dona any work for me tince. The first time I saw the order produced wis when Mr Hughson showed it to me for pay men". The signature is net mine. I never at any time authorised accused to write or sign uoy name.

To accuse! i I let you a omtraot to dig stumps and cut nnhes, I Lever gave you a j;b to sow grass s«d. Another ns'ivo, a raa'e of yours, took yoa wioh him, but I did not tell you to help him, I never paid you for sowing any grass s»d. I do not koow who paid you. Dj not rem ruber )ou coming into my front roo n and sijingit was worth 4s an aore, and my saying lhat I would give you tho money on the ground at the IWhotu sports. The contract for stumping, e'e, was for £8 Bs, and I gave you the bahnce (15-) in the store (Mr Hughson's) at Rahotu on the morning of the sports. Ire member the morning you left my house you said you w<?re going te leave. I asked you f*sr a re ipt. The receipt was for £8 Ss. This is the rec iip*. you gave me (receipt produced and m irked B.) I gave yiu the money in smili amounts at different timte. I retnrmyour coming from Rahotu on thy 15' h to get your swag. You did not s'ay long, and went back towards Rihotu. ¥ou gave me the receipt on the 15 hj, but dated it ths 16", h. I know Ku, your mate. Ha is a relatioa of mine. Do dot remember 3'ou writing an order for £l. The only thing I saw you wiite was the receipt for £8 81. Will smr the signature on the order is not mine. To Sergeant Haddrell: When I settled up with accused he did not ask for any more money. Acousad told me hs was leaving tha district. Thomas Good, a labourer living at Rahotu, being sworn said: I saw accused sitting in a room at the Rahotu Hotel, tie saw me goiug through the p ssage and called ma into the room, lie had writing paper and iok in front of him, t»nd he asked m> the day cf the month. I told him the 14th of April, and also how to spall Mr Hughson's name. He said he wanted to write a letter. Oj the first piece of papar he made a mistake and tore it up. and re directed it. I left tha hotel, aud shortly after saw accused going in the direction of Hughson's store. Cannot say if the order produced is the one he wrote. I think it was foolscap paper. I To accused: I did not say I saw you writing a letter. I saw you with ink and paper. lam a workiog mau, and do ordinary work about Rahotu. Sergeant Haddrell said that was his case. On ths accused being cautioned, he: plead el guilty, and was committed fori sentence at the Supreme Court in Auckland. The Court kb\