FORGERY ADMITTED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 83, 18 January 1928, Page 6

FORGERY ADMITTED.

BROTHERS' NAMES SIGNED. (Per Press Association.) OHRISTCHURCH, January 17. The brothers of John Ronald Stevens owed him a sum of money approximating £60,. so he said, and he could not get his money from them. He resorted to signing their names to vouchers for royalties, and the result was that this morning, in the Magistrate's Court, he faced two charges of forgery. He pleaded guilty. The charges were: (1): That, on March 31, he did forge a receipt' for timber royalties in the name of AVilliam Dallas Stevens, and did cause the Native Minister" to act on. it as if it were genuine; and (2) that, on March 16, he did commit a similar offence, the name used being Robert George Stevens. Roy Sinel, an accountant in the Native Trust Department, Wellington, said that his Department handled the Forest Hill Reserve, some native timber land iu Southland—Robert George Stevens, John Ronald Stevens (the accused) and William Dallas Stevens. A request was forwarded to the Department, purporting to be from R. G. (Stevens, as'king' for a statement of royalties. On the Department demanding proof of identity, * that was given, and apparently was satisfactory. The royalty vouches was then sent. It was later returned, marked "Received, R. G. Stevens," and dated March 16. On March 18 the Department received another letter, purporting to come from William Dallas Stevens. The voucher was sent down, and a receipt sent 'back.

Detective-Sergeant . Young said that he had interviewed accused, and showed him a statement made by him to the Auckland police on January 4, and another purporting to be made by him to the Wellington police on January 9. Accused said they were made by him and were correct. Tn them he said that he had signed the names to both letters and vouchers himself. His brothers 4 had owed him money, and he had taken that method of regaining it. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.