A COMMERCIAL SENSATION.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 102, 2 May 1898, Page 6

A COMMERCIAL SENSATION.

About 1 o'clock this afternoon, in Mr. T. Young's oflice, Chief Detective Campbell arrested John Craig, late manager of Te Aro House, on a warrant charging him with having between Ist November, 1896, and Ist Ma}', 1898, stolen various sums, amounting in all to £700, being the property of the Bank of New Zealand. The accused was brought before Mr. W. "R. Haselden; S.M., at 2.15 o'clock, and charged with the above offence. Inspector tender asked for a remand. Mr. Young appeared in defence, and submitted that the whole affair was quite capable of explanation : in fact, accused had offered his late employe (Mr. James Smith) explanations with which he was seemingly perfectly satisfied. Accused was making further explanations in his (Mr. Young's) office by, appointment, when Detective Campbell pnt in an appearance and arrested him. Accused had made no secret of his intended departure to-da}', and Mr. Young objected to a remand being granted. He asked on what grounds the warrant was ssued. Inspector Pender said he had no hesitation in saying the case warranted the police acting as the}' had, and he called Detective Campbell, who swore that he acted upon instructions received from the solicitors for the Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Young said that if the prosecution turned out. futile his client would have no remedy. He asked that the information he dismissed and the Bank of New Zealand invited to make the charge. He submitted that it was simply a trick of the Bank to avoid the responsibility and expenses of the prosecution. Mr. Ollivier at this stage entered the Court, and explained that he represented a large number of creditors, of whom the Bank of New Zealand was the chief. The Magistrate considered the police had adopted the right course. He adjourned the case till 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning. Bail was allowed, accused in £500, and two sureties of £250 each.