CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4756, 30 October 1880, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

Fbidat, Octobbb 29. [Before G. L. Mellisb, Esq., R.M.] Ltoact ibom Dbihk.—Ellen Norton, on remand from yesterday, was, at the intercession of her husband, allowed to go for the present, subjeot to the surveillance of the police. Fbattd. —John Chute Neligan was brought up oharged with making a false declaration before a Justice of the Peace with intent to j defraud. It appears that prisoner, who is a farm labourer, by some means obtained possession of a deposit receipt, which acknowledged that one John Walsh had lodged £14 in the Post-office Savings Bank. Prisoner went to the Post-office, Christchurch, and representing that he was John Walsh, said he had lost his deposit book. He applied for a duplioate book. The postmaster, on making enquiries, found that the real John Walßhhad withdrawn £4 from his account at Ashburton. The postmaster went to prisoner's residence, and told him of this. Prisoner denied signing the Ashburton notice of withdrawal, but said, as he was on the spree, he might have given one of his mates authority to sign for him. Prisoner was then supplied with a form, and by it be declared before Mr Ick, a Justice of the Peace, that he was John Walsh, and had lost his Post-offioe Savings Bonk deposit book. He handed it to the chief clerk at the Postoffice. Suspicion having been aroused, prisoner was arrested. The deposit receipt, in fragments, was found on him, and further enquiries resulted in the finding of the real .owner of it. Prisoner, who seemed thoroughly acquainted wilh the _ forms of the Court, cross-examined the witnesses with some ingenuity, but reserved his defence. He was committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court. Bail was not mentioned.