THREE CHEQUES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 231, 30 September 1935, Page 9

THREE CHEQUES

TOTAL OF £4550.

P.O. BANK DEFRAUDED

mother and son charged.

alleged false pretences,

Publication of details of the evidence given at the Police Court this morning at the hearing of charges against Laul Edward Din, or Dean, aged 23, and his mother, Madeline Elizabeth Din, or Dean, aged 44, was to a great extent suppressed when, on the application of Senior-Detective Hall, the presiding justices, Messrs. L. S. Rickerby and H. T. King, ordered the non-publication of the names of the bank depositors, their addresses and occupations, details of thoir bank accounts, and also all details of the methods of working of the Post Office Savings Bank.

The male accused was charged that by false pretences he obtained on April 1, 1935, £1800, on July 12 £900, and on August 1 £1850 from the Auckland branch of the Post Office Savings Bank. He was also indicted on three charges of forgery. Tlic other accused was joined with Laul Edward Din in respect to the charge of obtaining £1850 by falsa pretences. Senior-Detective Hall prosecuted, Mr. Kingston appeared for the male accused and Mr. Edge, instructed by Mr. C-. P. l'inlay, for the woman. Signatures Denied. Tho first witness, a depositor at tho Auckland branch of tho Post Offico Savings Bank, said ho did not sign the withdrawal slip produced dated August 1, 1935. It was signed in tho name of D. Mcliac, M/D., and authorised one, Elsie Thomson, to withdraw the sum of £1850 from witness' account. Witness did not know D. Mcßae or Elsie Thomson. 'Another depositor, a woman, said she did not sign tho withdrawal slip produced on her account at the Tost Office Savings Bank for £900. She did not know either of the two accused and had not authorised anyone to prepare tho document on her behalf. A third depositor, who said he had not mado a withdrawal from his account at the Post Office Savings Bank for 10 years, said the withdrawal slip (produced) on his account for £1800 was not signed by him. He gave nobody authority to make tho withdrawal. Ho did not know cither of the accused. , i"»|! Donald Mcßae, medical practitioner, Auckland, said the signature "D. Mcßae, M.D.," authorising Elsie Thomson to withdraw £1850 from a depositor's account, was not written by him, and so far as he was concerned it was a forgery. The name Elsio Thomson conveyed nothing to him. Handwriting Experts. Two handwriting experts from Wellington, Herbert P. Mouraut and Samuel Hall, each of whom had many years' experience and had given evidence on handwriting in various courts, said they had examined the various exhibits produced and expressed the opinion that the withdrawal slips had been filled in and signed by L. E. Din, the male accused. "Worked in Bank. James Brown, assistant supervisor at the Auckland branch of the Post Office Savings Bank, gave details of the methods of dealing with withdrawal slips when presented. The male accused had been employed at the Post Office Savings Bank from January to July 15 of this year, when ho resigned. While in the bank's employ the accused would have acccss to the ledgers, specimen signatures,(.withdrawal slips, etc. Edwin William Rudman, accountant in charge at the Post Office Savings Bank, said the male accused, during the period he was employed at the bank, was mainly employed on ledger duties. After examining the handwriting witness was definitely of the opinion that tho form of authority authorising Elsie Thomson to withdraw the sum of £1850 had been filled in by the male accused. (Proceeding.)