CHARGES AGAINST A SOLICITOR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 212, 1 September 1908, Page 2

CHARGES AGAINST A SOLICITOR

By leiegraph.-Prew Aswiciation. n 1 „™ lia «wton H., Monday. At tie Magistrate's Court to-day C. *- Harden solicitor, was charm* with iraudulently omitting to account lor or pay £250 to Margaret M. HaWk! Ihe jlrosccutor, W. lt Hancock, ™d he did not wish to proceed with the prosecution ~ the UAtf b£

Mr. A. D. Thomson, 8.M., pointedout that payment of the money did not necessarily end the case, and he added that another information hod been laid by the police. Mr. Cooke said he imd had no i a . formation on the mailer till a fewminutes before, and he would ask for a remand.

Sub-Inspector O'Donovnn said there was a prima-facie case to answer. The Magistrate «iid the police had adopted the proper course, and so the charges were substantially the sam«. A remand could bo granted only till two o'clock.

COMMITTED FOB TBIAL.

I'nlmerston N., Last Night. In the Harden case, Mr. Cooke aski ed for a further remand on bdhalf of accused, on the ground that he was physically unlit tor the ordeal. Mr. Thomson refused a further remand", and Mr. Cooke withdrew from tho case on the ground that it was impoasiblpl to do it justice under tlio circumt stances Dr. O'Brien gave evidence that though accused was in u state oi coM lapse in the morning, his condition had sulllciently improved to allow the case to go on. A large amount of evidence was taken, the most important witness being Hughes, an accountant m the Jinnk of Australasia, who produced entries showing Uiat only £1 Us KM] was in tho trust account prior to paying in the £250, and n cheque for £IOO was drawn against that, and several other debit entries were also shown, nn« the credit balance of tie account/ on 30th July last when transactions ceased was 14s. Accused was commit- . t«d for trial to the Supreme Court, and, wlhile reserving his defence, made a lengthy statement in which he stated that his books and affairs had aoii.' been looked after owing to illness and continual absence from town, "It was a considerable shock," said he "when I went to the bank and diseov-' eral my position." He also laid stress on tOie fact that he had made no &V tempt to shirk his responsibility.