FORGERY ALLEGED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 55, 2 September 1937, Page 10

FORGERY ALLEGED

FALSE BANK-NOTES

LOWER COURT HEARING

EVIDENCE ENDS

Evidence in the case against Charles Alfred Remmers, a labourer, aged 48, ,who was charged before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate* Court yesterday with two offences of forging on or about December 15 documents purporting to be £5 notes of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, was completed yesterday, afternoon and today. During the hearing, 49 exhibits were produced. Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle prosecuted, and Mr. P. D. N. Verschaffelt appeared for the accused. Detective H. E. Campin said that on the morning of December 25, in company with other detectives, he searched the accused's home in Boston Terrace Wellington, and the shed adjoining it. The shed was secured with a patent lock, but could be opened by means of a pocket knife. A number of articles were found and these witness produced. In the shed was a quantity of . correspondence showing recent occupation by the accused. Charles Moore, process engraver, of Willis Street, Wellington, said that the' accused had been in his factory four or five times since August or September, 1935, ,whsn he asked for some pieces of zinc. He said that his son was an art student at the Technical College, and wanted to make a few cards. Witness supplied him with two pieces, measuring about Bin by 6in. He called about three times early in 1936 for more metal, and was supplied. The accused also obtained some sensitising solution. - In June or July, 1936, he called in for some metal. He was shown by witness how to coat a plate.' The formula found in the shed would be a sensitising solution when made up, and would only be used in the.process engraving trade.

PLATES SOLD TO ACCUSED.

Cross-examined, witness said he sold the accused the metal plates. Witness had no idea the accused was .going to use the plates for other than the use stated. Witness identified the accused at an identification parade. Before it he had been shown no photographs. .

Charles McCallum Moore, process engraver and son of the previous witness, said that the accused had been in the firm's workshop three" or four times to' his knowledge. Witness gave evidence similar to that of his father.

Cross-examined, witness said that he was not conversant with offset, printing. He thought that a bank-note would be printed as well from a block as by the offset process. The forged notes were poor jobs. He thought they were photographed, transferred to a plate, and the plate made into a block.

Alfred James Bowman, line etcher, employed by a Willis Street firm, said that the accused came into the firm's premises' about October, 1936, and bought a piece of process, zinc about Bin by 6in. . . . ■

Cross-examined, witness said that he identified the accused in the police yard. He was shown no photographs beforehand.

William Henry Stewart, engraving etcher employed by the same firm, gave evidence of, supplying the accused with zinc about June and October of last year.

DETECTIVE'S ; EVIDENCE.

Detective N. J. McPhee said that on the morning of July 1 22, in the company, of Detective N. W. Baylis, he interviewed the accused,, who said that he knew nothing about the notes, and emphatically denied being in Auckland on December 24. He also denied using the name of Harry Jones, buying a truck in. Wellington in December, and using a motor-car in.Wellington about that time. When asked his whereabouts in December, he said he thought he had taken his son for a holiday to Otaki.

The accused was shown the property taken by, the police.. The accused said that a photographer had • the use of the workshop since early in 1936, and that most of the property belonged to him. He did not know where the photographer, whose name was Birkett. lived. When the accused was searched in the watch-house, a receipt for a renewal of a motor-truck licence was found on him. It was taken out in Dannevirke, and the receipt bore the name tf Mr. H. Jones.

Percival Moirganti, clerk employed at the Employment Bureau, Buckle Street, said that- his duties included the supervision of the records of men on relief and sustenance. He had known the accused for about five years, during the latter's period'on sustenance, and produced the accused's filel He identified a "U. 8." form found in the shed as one issued to the accused.' ' ' ,

Samuel Hall, handwriting expert employed as senior draftsman and photographic officer in the Post * and Telegraph Department, said that on August 30 he was given the unemployment file and the formula already produced. He had prepared photographs and a handwriting chart, which he produced. After a careful examination, he was of the opinion. that they were both written by the same person. The witness gave evidence as to the similarity of letter and word-forms. -

George Campbell Clark, manager of

the process department of the "Evening Post," said that he had about 40 years' experience as.a process engraver and lithographic artist, and that he also had considerable experience in general printing. He had examined the notes produced, and stated that they had been produced from a line-block. Photographing was necessary to get a line-negative. A lot of hand-work had been put in afterwards. After the negative had been touched up, a print would be made on to sensitised zinc. The tints in the notes produced had obviously been put in by hand, and the finer work had been lost-in reproduction. There had been- a certain amount of painting out on the negative. His evidence showed how certain of the articles found in the shed could be used in the manufacture •of similar notes.

Continuing his evidence today, Mr. Clark gave further details of how the articles found could be used for process work. In the notes produced, plates had been made for the front and back of the notes, and a reverse plate had been made for the watermark. The colour work had been done by hand, after the printing had been done in dark blue. Marks on , the blottingpaper produced corresponded, with marks on the forged, notes. The formula could only be used for making a sensitive enamel solution for coating the zinc.

Cross-examined, witness said that he could not make a £5 note with the exhibits. ' '

Under re-examination, he stated that the exhibits would be of assistance in that direction./ To complete the job a camera and a printing-frame would be

necessary. Replying to a question by the Magistrate, witness said that so long as he hal a lens, a bellows, and a dark-room he would do.the rest.

The accused pleaded not guilty to each charge, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.