STOLE A RECEIPT

Evening Star, Issue 22879, 10 February 1938, Page 20

STOLE A RECEIPT

RENT PAYMENT DISPUTE AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE (Fsk United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, February 9. A charge of theft brought against Xorniau Henry Thomas before Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court rested on whether or not Thomas paid £5 to Henry Wealleans, from whom he was alleged to have stolen a receipt for that amount. It was said by Hie Honour to be an extraordinary case. The charge against Thomas was that he stole from Henry Wealleans a receipt for £5 purporting to be an acknowledgment that Henry Wealleans had received that sum from him. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr A. T. Donnelly) said Thomas had left the house owned by Wealleans owing £5 in rent. Wealleans issued a summons for that amount, but on September 27, before the case was due to be heard, Thomas called on Wealleans with the summons, the statement of claim, and some money in banknotes. After Wealleans had written the receipt, the Crown alleged, some discussion arose as to stamping it. Thomas, it was alleged, took up the receipt and left without paying the £5. The question at issue, fundamentally, was whether Thomas had paid the £o, said Mr Donnelly, because if bo did lie was entitled to the receipt. Wealleans and Mrs Wealleans declared that Thomas did not pay the money and Thomas maintained that he did.

After a retirement of nearly four hours, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. The accused was i.mended for sentence.