TWO CHARGES OF FORGERY.

At the Police Court this morning Norman Hall was charged with, forging a cherjuo for £3 103 on the Uank of New South Wales, Christchurch, purporting to b 9 signed by Emil Christian Skog, at Christchurch on April 2. Emil Christian Skojj eaid ha was a chemist, and defendant came to him and borrowed ten shillings for the purpose of joining his wife at Ashburton. Considerable correspondence passed between them, and accused wrote to him from LytfeeltoJX stating that he had forged his name to a cheque l ! or .£3 10s, and that he intended to go to Sydney with the proceeds, and that so soon as he arrived there he would remit the money, and asking witness that in. consideration of the respect in which Danes held the name of Hall, he would let the affair pass. Witness kept no banking account, and first saw accused on March 20. George Edward Jeffrey, a draper's assistant to Parker and Tribe : Saw accused fir3t on April 2, at 7.30 p.m. He then had whiskers. He bought an overcoat for 19s 6d, and tendered the cheque produced, •which was changed by witness. Witness r.sked him to endorse the cheque, and he eaid he had already done so. Paid the cheqiie into the Bank two day3 later, and it was dishonoured. It was endorsed M. T. Anderson. Joseph D. Fairhurafc, ledger-keeper at the Bank o£ New South Wales, Christchurch : The cheque produced was presented by Parker and Tribe, and returned "no account." Did not know accused. j James O'Malley, police sergeant at Lyttelton : Saw accused in Brice'a draper' 3 shop, at Lyttelton, on April 5. He acknowledged his name was Hall, and witness said he arrested him on a charge of forging a cheque referred to in a letter to Skog. Brice .handed him another cheque for M 10s. Accused said, " That is not the one ; I changed it in Christchurch, but with whom I do not know." Accused was committed for trial on that charge. The same accused was then charged with forging the name of Emil C. Skog- to a cheque for J23 10s on April 5, and uttering it to J. T. Brice, of Lyttelton. Conrad Ketterer, watchmaker, of Lyttelton, said he knew accused, who came into his shop on April 5, and asked for s, blank cheque, which witness gave him. It was j then about noon. Had not known him previously. Joseph Thomas Brice, draper, of London street, Lyttelton: Accused camo into his shop on April 5, and asked for an overcoat, which witness sold him for.£l Is. He said he had no money, only a cheque. Witness looked at the cheque, and pointed out that it bore the signature of a Christchurch man on a Lyttelton cheque. Ho replied that it was the only one the, man had. Witness eaid it would not pay him to go to Christchurch to get it changed. Accused said he would allow witness anything reasonable for expenses. Witness replied he would have nothing to do with it, and laid it down on the counter. Accused had the coat half off when Sergeant O'Malley came in and arrested him. Emil Christian Skog, Danish ViceConsul: Knew accused. The cheque produced was not his signature, and he knew nothing about it. Patrick A. Laurie: Was clerk in the Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch, and kept a ledger. The cheque produced was presented by Sergeant O'Malley on April 5, and returned "no account." Did not know accused. Sergeant O'Malley arrested accused on April 5, in Brice's shop at Lyttelfcon. Brice handed him the cheque produced, and witness arrested him on the charge of forging and uttering it to Brice. Accused eaid when arrested, " Oh, don't do that." Accused said nothing, and was committed for trial at the next criminal sittings of tlie Supreme Court at Christchurch.