A FORGED CHEQUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1915, Page 6

A FORGED CHEQUE.

NEW PLYMOUTH JEWELLER LOSES. At the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday, .Messrs V. C. J. Bellriuger and C. :.M. I Lepper, J.P.s, presiding, Harold llarling Howell, alias T. Panthorpe, alias T. P. :Sim])?on, was charged that with intent to defraud, he obtained from Nicholas Oreiuer goods and money to ■the total value of .€lO 7s by means of a •valueless cheque purporting- to be signed by T. P. Simpson. Sub-inspector Eouhy prosccufed, and the accused was •not represented by counsel. John Avery, tobacconist at New Plymouth, saiil he thought the accused •was the person who came into his shop •on June 3 and asked his assistant for a blank cheque. Witness thought the '•man looked respectable and witness gave him a Wank cheque of the National Bank ■of. Xew Zealand. The cheque produced was the one witness gave to the accused. Nicholas flreiner, jeweller at New Plymouth, deposed that the accused came into his shop on the-evening of June 5 and "asked for a cheap watch, which he ■purchased. We also purchased a silver •.•bain. The cost of the two articles was ■ £2'2s. and the accused tendered the cheque produced in payment. Witness took the cheque as genuine without question, lie wis led to accept the cheque, •us it was on a New Plymouth hank, hut he would not have accepted it otherwise. •Witness never saw the accused before June 5. Witness paid the cheque into the hank and then learned that it was valueless.

Keith F..' Bell, accountant at the New Plymouth branch of the National Bank of New Zealand, said the signature on the cheque produced was not known to the bank, and no (person of the name of T. ■P. Simpson had ever had an account at the bank. The accused pleaded guilty and asked to lie dealt with that day. The Justices pointed out that they could not deal with him, and .Sub-In-spector Fouhv said that to avoid keeping the prisoner until the next Supreme Court sittings he would have the accused sent to Wellington. The accused was then committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. A FURTHER CHARGE. The accused was also charged with obtaining goods to the value of £5 ITs from J. ,B. Shields, of Eltham, by means of a valueless cheque. The accused was remanded to appear at Eltham next Tuesday.