SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 May 1906, Page 4

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

[BY ELECTEIO TELEOnAPH.] » (PEU PIIESS ASSOCIATION.) GISBORNE, May 17. W. 0. Sheet, builder, was acquitted at the Supreme Court to-day on two charges under the Bankruptcy Act. It was shown in evidence that he had in four years since he started in business, passed over £44,000 through his hands, *ud the contention of the Crown was that with a turnover of £II,OOO a year, it was impossible for a man to lose £3500 in six months, as would appear from the balance sheet. This was the subject of tho charge. The contention for the defence was that building and contracting was a liaz- . ardous business, and that the Crown had not shown tho balance sheet to he a false one. Moreover, they denied that it was a false balance sheet. Mr Justice Chapman laid down the principle that the jury must bo satisfied that the accused had a fraudulent mind, and that what he ha ddone was with fraudulent intent. The jury, after half an hour’s rtirement, brought in a verdict of “not guilty.” A similar verdict was recorded on a charge of not kping proper books. In this case His Honor held that whilst a business man must have proper books that disclosed both his business transac- 1 tions and his financial position, they must not bo too exacting, and must find something like gross culpability. In this case an accountant called by the Crown admitted that tho bankrupt would, with a littlo labor, have ascertained his financial position from tho books, and the jury, in less than five minutes, returned their verdict : ol acquittal. ' ■ ;