Magistrate’s Court.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XX, Issue 3601, 22 May 1897, Page 2

Magistrate’s Court.

FRIDAY, 21st MAY, 1897. (Before Messrs S. Johnson, and A. St Clair Inglis, Justices ) FORGERY AND UTTERING. Alexander Kerr, alias Thomas Aitken, was charged with forging and uttering a cheque at Waipukurna. John Brook deposed that he knew aoensed and bad met him on the Wai pawa traffic bridge, when he offered to buy a watch that was for sale, The price was £2 and aoensed gave him a cheque for £lO, on the Bank of New Zealand, Waipnkuraa, saying it was drawn by a good man who lived at Waipoknrau. He presented the cheque at the Bauk of New Zealand, Waipukurau, and was refused payment. John Piokett, teller at the Bank of New Zealand, Waipukurau, deposed that Brook had presented a cbequo for £lO, purporting to be signed by B. Kimp. The signature was unlike Kemp’s, who bad an accoaut at tho Bank He retained the cheque aud showed it to Kemp, who 6aid he had not signed it. Brook returned to the Bank next day, when he was told that the signature was a forgery. B Kemp deposed that accused had worked for him for one day when another man was with him. He paid them by a chequo for £l, which ha gavo to the man called BrowD. The cheque, produced, did not bear his signature. No one had authority to sign cheques for him.

H. J Simpson deposed that he saw accused about hia father’s billiard room for some days aod that on Easter Monday he asked him for a blank cheque, saying he had been working for Kemp, who owed him 10s, aod who had no cheque He gavo him one ont of his father’s cheque book. He made no note on the block of the chequo book. The book, produced, was the one from wbioh the cheque was taken and the block was marked 111,046.

Uy accused—He first saw him in the billiard room about Good Friday. Peter Soriingeour deposed that accused stayed at the Tavistock Hotel for a few days, about Easter. On Easter Tuesday he asked for pen and iak, and in reply to a question, siid be had paper handy. He took the pen aud ink into a room and afterwards returned them.

Denis Brosuahan, constable stationed at Waipukurau, deposed, that he arrested accused at tho Lake statioa on May 13th. Ho explained who he was aud the charge on which accused was wanted. Accused asked if he had a warrant and was told that it was not necessary to produce one. He was lodged in the Waipukurau lock-up. On the way accosad practically admitted his guilt aud asked where the hawker was. He said the money only lasted him about five days. He said he had sold the watch to a stranger for 153. Accused bad nothiug to say, and was committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Coart to be held at Napier.