THEFT OF POSTAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1919, Page 6

THEFT OF POSTAL NOTES.

YOUNG WOMAN BEFORE THE COURT. ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

A young woman, named Katheriii e Emily Martin was charged, before Mi T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., yesterday, at tli _ New Plyifiouth Magistrate's Court, wit] stealing from the post oflice at Kai j. mata," on or about December 9th, posu 4 notes to the value of £7, and furihe s with, on December 12, forging the naim e of Tate to a postal note for £1 an< Ij uttering the same, and with forging tin . name of Gibson to another II posta note, and also uttering it. Detective Fitzgibbou conducted tin _ prosecution for the police, and Mr. Ron _ aid H. Quilliam represented accused. In outlining the case Detective Fitz gibbon said that on December 1 tin 9 chief postmaster at New Plymouth senl 0 postal notes to the postmaster at Kai- . mata to the value of -3 eluded in these were ten notes for £1 , each, the numbers of which were known f and a receipt for them was received s from the Kaimata .postmaster by tm , chief postmaster at New Plymouth. On December !) the accused went to the . Kaimata postoffice and purchased three 1 postal notes, and the postmaster (Mr, i Mackie) when he had detached the notes , from his book, went to the adjoining room to date-stamp the notes, leaving [ the book within reach of accused. The . following day he wished to issue some £1 postal notfcs, but could not find anv, and he had not issued any between the time of serving accused arid the sale the next day. On December .12 accused was ! in Inglewood where she purchased a hat'and tendered two £1 postal notes bearing the names of Gibson and Tate in payment for the same. The lady from whom the hat was purchased noticed the notes were not stamped and asked accused about them. She saic} she had had one of them for several months but could not remember where she got the other. She also said she was a°visitor from Auckland and had been at Waitara and other places. The notes were handed to the postal authorities ar, inglewood, and the postmaster there sent for accused and asked her about the notes and she at firsts said one of them was obtained at Stratford and the other she could not say where she got it Site subsequently said she could not say where either of the notes came from. The Iriglewood postmaster declined to give up the notes and accused said she had no time that day to bother with the matter. The notes were forwarded to New Plymouth, and had been identified as belonging to those sent to Kaimata by the'ehief postmaster. The police subsequently interviewed aroused who denied the theft of the two notes produced or any other notes. She was subsequently arrested on the charges, an', while on bail went with her father' and made a statement' to Constable Lorigbottom, of Inglewood. in which she confessed to having taken the notes. Evidence was given by C'has. IT. Burton, chief postmaster. New Plymouth, Janet Cox. milliner, Inulewood Wm' Coster, acting postmaster. Tnc!ewoo<t George Maelce. storekeeper and postmaster at Kaimata. Detective Fitzgi'bbon and Constable Longboftom. In the statement put in by Constable Longboftom accused said she had , ln Intention of stealing anything when she went to the Kaimata post office. She

went to buy postal notes for her employer, and seeing the book left within reach she was seized with the sudden impulse and took seven £1 notes. She had only intended at the moment to take two, and was surprised to find she had got seven. She signed two and tried to operate on them,"but the others she burned.

Accused pleaded guilty and was com mitted to the Supreme Court for sentence, hail as before being ailo-.verf.