Theft Of £12,534 Alleged

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30737, 29 April 1965, Page 3

Theft Of £12,534 Alleged

(N.Z. Press Association) HAMILTON, April 28. Rajmond John Morgan, a clerk, charged with 123 thefts from Ray Leach, Ltd., Totalling £12,534, between December, 1962, and February, 1965, was alleged to have owned or partly owned 19 racehorses, the Magistrate’s Court at Hamilton was told today.

Charles Dudley, a racecourse inspector of Auckland, produced Racing Conference records showing ownership or part ownership of the racehorses.

However, Morgan’ counsel, Mr T. F. Purcell, objected to any evidence of racehorses or Morgan’s alleged ownership or interest as being inadmissible and irrelevant.

Mr Purcell also objected to Dudley giving evidence in the form he did—from a typed sheet.

“If there were records they should be the evidence,” said Mr Purcell. Leach said he had been in

business for about 15 years. Until 1961, he did his own accounting, preparing and paying his monthly accounts, but then decided it was too much work for him. He approached Beattie and Smart, public accountants, and made arrangements with them.

“The arrangement was that

they made out the monthly statement, cheques for paying accounts I owed and paying out P.A.Y.E. tax. I paid the staff wages myself by cheque,” he said.

“Thej handed the cheques to me for signature. This was the usual way,” he said. Occasionally he was asked for blank cheques because

he required the wages book on Wednesdays. It had to be paid in a hurry so the wages book was collected on a Sunday night by Morgan and at that time I was asked to sign blank cheques,” he said. Morgan left Beattie and Smart about 15 months, ago, said Leach, and he asked if he could carry on with the work. “I said he could do some of it. I had no idea what was going on. He continued with the monthly statements, working out cheques to pay accounts, receiving money and paying the P.A.Y.E. tax. I had every confidence in Morgan.” Alan Cameron Wilson, public accountant and secretary to A. M. Bisley and Company, said his company had dealings with Leach.

Shown 15 cheques. Wilson agreed that they all bore the stamp of Ray Leach, Ltd., and were made payable to Bisleys. All the cheques except one showed the initial “A” or something similar. Wilson then produced his firm’s ledger card for Leach. Five of the cheques were for amounts similar to balances on the card. None of the other cheques appeared on the card. Grant Bernard Griffiths, an accountant employed by Beattie and Smart, said he had worked with Morgan for a year and was familiar with his handwriting. He produced Leach's cashbook and said the writing was that of Morgan except for a few entries he himself had made. The cashbook had not been kept accurately. Griffiths said that for the year ended March 31, 1964, there was a total understatement of £2OOO. In some instances the name showing on the cheque and that appearing in the book differed.

The police still have 30 witnesses to call.