The Commercial Bank Frauds.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3162, 25 March 1889, Page 2

The Commercial Bank Frauds.

The frauds which were perpetrated by the two young men Hector Norman Simson Hewitt and Bobert Henry Farrar on the Commercial Bank of Australia in Melbourne last year have been investigated in the Supreme Court, with thfi rosult that the prisoners have been sentenced to three months' and two years' imprisonment respectively. Hewitt's' light sentence is to be . attributed to his having been entirely the dupe'of Farrar, He pleaded guilty, and helped to secure .tho conviction against, his accomplice. The pair were schoolmates together, and during the land and stook boom of last year they found themselves in the respective positions of order olerks in the Commercial-Bank and stockbroker. It was Hewitt's offico to get oash for cheques which were drawn on banks not associated with the clearing house, and on account of the circumstances under which small banking institutions were conducted he not unfrequenty had to hold cheques over from day to day. When, therefore, a cheque of his old schoolmate, Farrar, on the Bank of Australasia was dishonored, and he met Farrar in the street, it was 'quite natural for him to suggest that the cheque might be held over to savo Farrar's credit. Farrar assured him thet funds would be paid into the Federal Bank to meet the cheque within the course of a day or two, and Hewitt agreed to hold over tho cheque. The first act which led to embezzlements representing over i7Booswas thus committed. Farrar kept his word, and the cheque was met in due course, and Hewitt was induced to save Farrar's credit on several occasions in the same way. i'arrar then appears to have suggested to Hewitt the practibility of his giving cheques to him without their passing through the, bank and obtaining in exchange some of tho cash which came under his control, The dupe readily responded, andiu course of time he found himself in possession of cheques lrom Farrar representing tho sum mentioned. Farrar at this period had been going tho pace properly, The consequence was that when Hewitt went to him and begged that he should give him money for the cheques whioh he hold he was utterly unable to do so, and Hewitt, finding' himself , in an inextricable difficulty, made a "clean brdaat" of tho whole affair to tho bank authorities. Probably the most remarkable feature in connection with tho case is that Hewitt did not benefit to the extent of a sixpence in the'' money he was inducedt'o embezzle. That {lie frauds were practicable in saoh a simple manner as has been related only gives another instance of .the impossibility of any system oi bookkeeping or banking to provide agaiiißt defalcations by. olorlts, who are iiot disposed to be honest. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that the want of supervision of Hewitt's accounts afforded a strong temptation to one who, though legally of age, was a mere lad in disposition.

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