MONEY FROM MARTON.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 August 1926, Page 5

MONEY FROM MARTON.

REAIARKABLE COINCIDENCES.

REVEALED IN COURT CASE

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) PALMERSTON N., Aug. 4. A case -revolving around an involved cud -remarkably coincidental series- of. transactions concerning two cheques, was- heard at the Supreme Court, when Reginald Arthur John Ashby was charged with forgery and uttering in respect t-o two documents under review. The story was partly unfolded, in the lower court, but was further developed to-day by the appearance of a lady in the case and the mentioning of the name of a “man. from-Marton.” The evidence told of two men, each beai ing the surname of Ashby an-d -possessing the common initial “A.” Both were expecting money by post care of the G.P.0., Palmerston North. The money intended for one was lifted! and used by the other, the expected source (Mart-on) being the same. Additional complication arose- from the fact that a young; woman- friend of the accused; .who was in a private hospital at the time '°f the offence, had been for some years accepting money from a- married man well known in Alarton, and it was on her behalf that the accused expected the remittance. Ashbv disposed of the money at the girts’ direction. The accused wired and also wrote an aeknowlegement of receipt, hut the supposed sender of the cheques, the ‘man from Marten,” neglected to disabuse the minds of the others that- the money had been sent. The jury, after -a retirement of eight minutes, found -that the accused had no criminal intent, and he was discharged.

they, should have gauged the temper of the House 1 letter than thev had.

On a division the amendment was lost by dO votes to 21. At 11.45 p.m. the first clause was passed. Clauses 2,3, and 4 were passed uncontested.

AVhen clause 5 was reached, Mr. H. AI Campbell (Hawke’s Bay) moved anamendment, the effect of which would be that after passing the Act there would be a general election of members of the board before control came into' force. The mover of the amendment explained that lie wished to give the people affected by control a further opportunity t-o- say whether they wanted control or whether they did not want it. The Alinister said the amendment was a vote of no-confidence in the board. Air. P. Fraser (AYellington Central) said the amendment was an attempt to defeat control, and would only throw the country into further agitation for and against control. He was against that course.

-MORE AAIENDMENTS DEALT WITH. WELLINGTON, Aug. 5. After the telegraph office closed, the Labour Party challenged clause 8 of the Dairy Produce Export Control Amendment Bill, as that clause provides that the result of the elections to the Dairy Board shall lie determinedl by allocation to candidates on tonnage votes, but the clause was retained iu the Bill, after a division by -12 to 23. j On clause 10, Air H. G. R. Al'ason (Eden) protested against members of the board appointing themselves to comfortable positions in London, contending that such appointments were illegal, but lie did not call for a division against the provision which, validated those appointments. Air J. A. Nash (Palmerston North) then moved that a new clause be added to the Bill, providing for the postponement of control to September -1, 1927. This was not debated, and on.a. division was lost by 50 to 19. Air Yeitcli then moved new clauses (1) tl tt control should not take effect until a referendum of producers had been held; (2) that control shall not take effect until it receives the assent of the Alinister of Agriculture; (3) that section 13 of the original Act- (providing for compulsory control) be repealed. All these amendments were; lost on the voices, and the Bill was- then reported from the committee stage w ithout amendments. The third' reading was set do-wn for this afternoon. The House rose at 3.40 a.m. till 2.30 p.m.