MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8496, 27 July 1907, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

MASTERTON-FRIDAY. (Before Mr W. P. James, S.M.) A number of defendants were charged, with having ridden bicycles on the footpaths within the borough contrary to the borough by-laws. Alfred Fear, Edward Burrows, H. Fawcett, Henry Harris, Alex. Coburn, Samuel Sleeman, Samuel Kingdon, and Monty iggulden were fined 5s each with 7s costs, and G. McFarlane, George Thynne, Alexander Cowie, J. Elder and George Harris were fined Is each with 7s costs. Percy R. Cook, for having ridden a motor bicycle on the footpath in the borough was fined 5s with costs. On a charge of using obscene language, George Jackson was fined 40s, with "lis coses, in default 14 days' imprisonment. Puhi Hemi Matthews was charged with having been found on licensed premises during the currency of a prohibition order against him. A fine of 5s with 7s costs, in default 48 hours' imprisonment, was imposed. On a similar charge, John Charles Jones, who had previously been convicted for a similar offence, was fined 40s with 7s costs, in default one month's imprisonment. Accused was allowed one week ia which to pay the fine. A charge against Adam Armstrong, of having driven a vehicle on the Fernyhurst Road on May sth having tyres of a less width than those prescribed by the Masterton County bylaws, was dismissed. Frank McKenzie, on a similar information in respect to the Mangapakeha Road on June 14th was fined 20s. with costs 38s. William Jowett Hirst was charged with having forged a cheaue at Eketahuna for £3 15s, purporting to be signed by Arthur B. Stinson and having uttered the same to Jeremiah O'Meara. Mr C. A. Pownall appeared for the accused. Arthur B. Stinson, settler at Otaki, formerly of Newman, said he sold oat his farm on July 6th, and left immediately, going down the Manawatu line. He left a cheque book in a drawer in the house. He returned to the farm on July 12th and went into Eketahuna the • next day. He was then shown a cheque at the Bank of New South Wales purporting to bear his signature. The signature was not his, but the cheque had been taken from tha book that he had left in the house. The last cheque he had drawn from the book was on March 27th. By Mr Pownall: Accused was not in the house when witness left. There was nothing in the cheque book to show to whom it belonged. To witness' knowledge, accused had never seen his cheque or even his writing. The writing on the cheque was not like that of witness, and he did not think it was an attempt at imitation. The cheque was made payable to "Thomas Dawson," but witness did not know such a man. There were no persons left on the farm that had previously been in his he sold out. By Sergeant Miller: Witness left a lot of letters addressed to himself in the house when he left. Henry Nepueu, who purchased Stinson's farm, said he engaged the accused to work cn the farm. Accused left the farm at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 6th, and returned on the following Sunday afternoon. On Monday and Tuesday witness was absent in Eketahuna and accused was in sole charge of the house. Accused left on July 10th and when he had gone witness missed his knife, keys, and other articles. No one else but, accused and witness had been in the house. By Mr Pownall: Witness v;as rounding the sheep on Sunday afternoon, July 7th. Accused had not come back from Eketahuna, and the house was empty for about two hours. The doors were unlocked. His house was situated about one hundred yards from the public road. TOj his knowledge there was no cheque of Stinson's in the house while accused was There were several letters in the house addressed to Mr A. B. Stinson. By Sergeant Miller: He had not seen ap swaggers on the road since he had been there. Jeremiah O'Meara, licensee of the Occidental Hotel, said he thought he saw the accused in the hotel on Thursday, July 11th. Accused asked for a Mr Roigard. The barmaid I brought witness a cheque which she ! said had been given in by the ac- ! cused. Witness would not cash the cheque until Mr Roigard, -who .was with the accused, said that he would guarantee it. Witness then cashed the cheque. The cheque was sent back by the bank on July 14th. By Mr Pownall: There were no rubber stamp marks on the cheque when it came back from the bank. By the Magistrate: Witness'account in the bank had been charged with the amount of the cheque. Constable Grey gave evidence as to the arrest of accused at Eketahuna on July 22nd. When acquainted with the facts of the charge, the accused said he did not forge the cheque, he had only changed it. It was one of two cheques thatjhe had found on the North Road, Newman. Chas. A. Tabuteau, accountant, of Masterton, gave expert evidence as to the handwriting on the cheque. He considered that there were some similarities in the writing on the cheque uttered and another one found in the accused's purse. This concluded the case for the prosecution. Accused was further charged with forging a cheque at Eketahuna for the sum of £l6 9s, purporting to bear the signature of Arthur B. Stinson. Mr Pownall admitted the Jdepositions taken on the first charge for the second charge. Accused reserved his defence, and was committed for trial "at the next criminal sittings ofj the Supreme Court in Wellington. Bail was allowed in one surety of selfjat cEIOO and two others at £IOO each. Accused was then charged with having stolen a razor and two cheques, the property of Arthur B.

Stinson. The accused pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr C. A. Pownall. Arthur B. Stinson stated that when he left his farm at Newman for Otaki he left his razor and cheque book in the house. When he returned some days later his razor was gone. He did not see his razor again until it was produced in court. Two cheques were also gone. Henry Nepueu stated that accused was in his employ for some days after witness bought the farm from Stinson. Constable Grey gave evidence as to finding the articles on the accused when he was arrested. Mr Pownall suggested that, in view of the serious charge which accused had to face, he should be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. The police only sought a conviction, and the accused had pi-eviously borne a good character. The police offered no objection to this course, the Magistrate adopted Mr Pownall's suggestion. The case of Elizabeth McKee v. James McKee, a claim for maintenance, was adjourned until this morning.