POSED AS AN OFFICIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1926, Page 10

POSED AS AN OFFICIAL

CHARGE OF FRAUDULENCE

PRETENDED MPORTANT

MISSION

(By Telejraph.) (Special to "The Evehlna Post.")

DUNEDIN,-This: Day;

: Edward Hedley Kitchener Hughes,, who,, as an auditor in the Public Tra»t Office, said he had been entrusted .with, the task of preparing for tho,-Minis-, ter of Finance a report on the economic situation in New Zealand, indhafi in his possession a telegram, "bsten^ sibiy from the Hon* W. Downie .Ste"w-_ art, in which the Minister saicl ho.had been asked by the Cabinet to approach Mr. Hughes asking him, "in view :of his valuable work during tho previous six months," whether the Governpieiit could retain his service for a-tether similar period, was charged i :iri ■ the" Police Court this morning (1) with db; taining credit by fraud to the amount of £1 10s, and (2) with forging"* document with intent that it should be used or acted on as genuine;' «- Detective Beer said that oar 20th June he went to Jackson's Hotels with Detective Allsopp and there interviewed the accused. The accused gave his name as Robinson, and stated-that ih'e was an auditor, in whose employ, he ididnot say. The accused was brought to;theSDetective Office where > he., i madq a-statement. He admitted jha^.jje had himself' prepared the telegram purporting to bo signed by tho'Miiiister. Ho admitted.- that he telephoned to the hotel saying that the ,l>£o.lic Trust Office was speaking, and. #rning; ed for accommodation "for an"'inspector, ....who' was arriving.'.'.. .He :handed to the proprietress an":ekvelope marked '-On His Majesty's Service," containing varions 1 papers, including one referring to a report on which he was said to be engaged. He asked'the proprietress to lb<sk- 'aftes. these papers for . him. He prepared the papers so that ho could use them \when he ran:out of money. : :.Chief Detective Lewis said that .the 'accused, who had already been on,prabation, was in the service^^f , the Postal Department some years 'mo. : He was evidently using, the .knowledge ■he had gained in the Department to,go round, posing as a Government, auditor to take people down..'..' '•-•'/■:■ •' The Magistrate said that the paper, had not actually been : used. He would remand the accused till Monday and consider the matter.