DIRECTOR CHARGED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 125, 23 November 1943, Page 3

DIRECTOR CHARGED

A LONG INDICTMENT

jpA DUNEDIN, November 22. , The hearing of a number of charges <5f false pretences and publishing false balance-sheets against Stanley Reginald Burns, company director, formerly a£ Dunedin, was commenced in _the Supreme Court today before Mr. Justice Kennedy and a special 3ury of 12. The Crown. Prosecutor, Mr. *. a. Adams, appeared for the Crown, and the accused was represented by Mr. C. S? Thomas, Christchurch, • and Mr. G V.Murdoch. ~ , : Mr. Adams said the case would be long and complicated, and asked that the jury be provided with typewritten copies of the indictment and also with copies of the balance-sheets involved in the charges. His Honour agreed to counsel's request. The reading of the full indictment by the registrar occupied about 12 minutes. 'Opening the case for the Crown, Mr. Adams said of the 12 charges six related to false pretences and the other six to the making and circulating of false balance-sheets of S. R. Burns and Co. ' The company was incorporated in--1934. The business of the concern was the -promoting and financing of companies, the accused being chairman of directors and managing director. The company's balance-sheet maintained an "air of prosperity" with'one partial exception. The 1939 balance-sheet disclosed that the paid-up capital of the company stood at £37,461, the total amount at stake on the part of the shareholders being £38,827. 'The.real assets were shown to be £42,024. "We have two letters written by the accused to one Facer, of Christchurch, the first dated September 26, 1939, and the other October 30, 1939," Mr. Adams said. The letters had been written two and three months after the company's balance-sheet had been approved by the directors", and yet the letters disclosed it was false to the extent of almost £33,000. ■ ',*.,,.. Mr. Adams had not completed his address when the Court adjourned till tomorrow.