MAN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26493, 7 August 1951, Page 8

MAN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

BIRTH CERTIFICATE ALTERED

William Cashmere, aged 66, an engine driver (Mr J. E. Millar), pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr Rex C. Abernethy, S.M., to a charge that, on or about June 30, 1950, he counselled or procured some person unknown to forge a birth certificate in respect of William Cashmere, born at Christchurch on September 26, 1909, by altering it to 1900, with intent that it be acted on as genuine. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in his own recognisance of £5O and one surety of £5O, and he was ordered to report daily to the military authorities at Burnham.

Detective-Sergeant G. W. Alty prose cuted.

Alfred Alan Besley, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages at Christchurch, said that on November 15, 1950, a man called at his office and gave his name as William Cashmere. He told the man that the date of birth on a certificate issued on July 20, 1948, appeared to have been altered. Cashmere told him that it had been done by a granddaughter aged 7. He told Cashmere he would report the matter to the Registrar of Births at Wellington.

The figure 9 in the date had been erased and the figure 0 substituted so as to make the year of birth appear as 1900, said witness. Detective-Sergeant R. S. Smith said that he interviewed accused on December 29, 1950. Cashmere admitted that he was the person who had gone to the office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages on November 15, 1950. Cashmere told witness that he had not altered the certificate himself. He told him that his daughter aged 9 had done it for him. Witness expresed his disbelief that a person so young could alter the certificate. After discussion. Cashmere said that he could not read or write and could not have altered it himself. Cashmere had told him that an employee of a timber company had altered the date. He had said he did not know the man’s surname. He knew only his Christian name. Subsequently inquiries were made to trace an employee named Lionel, but the police were unable to find any person of this name who was working dr had worked at the timber company. At statement by Cashmere said that he had a son in Australia named William Cashmere and he was born in 1909. The certificate was probably that of his son and he had it altered to bring down his own age so that he could retain his employment.