WOMEN DEFRAUDED

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 29, 28 October 1932, Page 12

WOMEN DEFRAUDED

Husbands in Prison ACCOUNTANT’S OFFENCES By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Oct 27. Pleading not guilty to seven charges of forgery and seven charges of uttering, Herbert Edwin Barnsley, aged 52, an accountant, and late secretary and treasurer to the Labour Defence League, but now on relief works, stood trial this morning before Mr. Justice Ostler and a jury. It was alleged that Barnsley had accepted money from the Mayor’s Relief Fund for distribution to the dependants of men imprisoned as a result of the disturbances in May, that he had forged the signatures of seven women without giving them their money (3/- in each case) ; and that he had returned forged receipts of the City Council, tendering them as genuine receipts. The Crown Prosecutor said that the Labour Defence League had been formed to help the imprisoned men and their dependants, and Barnsley was appointed secretary and treasurer. The league had a benevolent section, on which a man named White was secretary. The Mayor’s Relief Fund authorities had decided to grant the dependants of the imprisoned men 3/- per week each. The sum of 36/- was paid by the council’s cashier to White, who paid three women. Then, as he had to go to a job, lie gave tlie receipts and 27/- to Barnsley, who was to carry on with the distribution. On July 27 accused returned twelve receipts which were accepted as genuine, and was given another 36/- for distribution. Trouble then arose, women complaining that they had not received their money. When charged by the women with failing to give them the money, Barnsley had maintained that he had been busy and had handed on the money to another man who had brought him back the receipts. “He still maintains that,” said Mr. Donnelly, “but he refuses to give the name of the man to whom he gave the money. It is the trumped-up excuse of the perpetrator of a mean and disreputable swindle." Barnsley was found guilty on all counts and was remanded until to-mor-row for sentence.