FORGED BANK NOTES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 201, 22 May 1931, Page 10

FORGED BANK NOTES

Four Men Before Court

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Bv Telegraph—Press Association. " Auckland, May 21. Three Australian showmen Percy Short. 56 years of age; his son, Percy John McKenzie Short, aged 20, and Harry Torpy, aged 46, and Maurice Goodman, aged 33, a traveller, described as a native of England, appeared before Mi. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court to-day on charges connected with the circulation of counterfeit Bank of New South Wales were charged with conspiring to defraud the public by uttering forged £1 notes, and there were five other chaises of uttering forged. £1 notes to shopkee-per-. A tobacconist of Otahuhu. Roy Panckhurst, said three men entered his shop one after the other, on the afternoon of April 24 Each bought a packet of cigarettes, and each tendered a£l note. M itness gave the men 19/2 each as change. The notes were forged, and bore the same number. Witness attended an identification parade at the police station, when he identified Short, jun„ as one of the m< Bertie Thomas Rond, drapery manager, of Otahuhu, said that on April 24 a man entered his shop and asked for a Packet of needles, and in payment tendered a £1 note. Witness gave him 19/3 change He had a roll of notes in his hand probably 15 or 20. and took one from the bundle, crumpled it up in his hand, and threw it on the counter. Witness saw a green xnotor-car outside the shop, and later he recognised the car at the police station as the same vehicle he saw outside his shop. . .. Other shopkeepers gave similar evidence. . ~ x The police gave evidence as to accused s movements, after which accused pleaded not guilty, and were committed for trial Bail was fixed at £5OO each.