CHARGED WITH MAILBAG THEFT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 3 October 1927, Page 5

CHARGED WITH MAILBAG THEFT.

HAMILTON RESIDENT IN COURT. MANY CHEQUES INVOLVED. (Bv Telegraph-—Press Association.) HAMILTON, This Day. The Magistrate's Court was crowded when William Harold Melville Taylor, a married man, aged 30, was charged with the theft, on September 3rd, ot a mailbag and its contents, the. property of the Postrvastcr-General. Peteetivo Sweenc-v appeared for the prosecution, and Mr" J. Strang watched the proceedings on behalf of the accused, who was arrested on Saturday. A remand until October 12th was sought by Detective Sweenev, and Mr Strang intimated, that he would consent to that, asking the Magistrate (Mr Wyvern Wilson) to consider an application for. bail on such security as was thought adequate. Mr Strang said he understood that the accused was charged with theft of a mail bag, the contents of which were of considerable value, and mo;?t of which were non-negotiable documents, for which payment was immediately stopped when the bag was lost. Counsel had no knowledge of the value of x the remainder of the missing bag's con lents, but he. understood that the essence of the case against the accused was" that he was alleged 1o have attempted to negotiate two cheques believed to have been in the bag in question. The accused had been in the town a good many years, and was in business as a land agency employee. Detective Sweeney stated that an official estimate of the bag's contents was about J 000 postaL packets, including non-negotiable cheques to the value of '£50,000 or £60,000, which were being forwarded from Auckland banks to this district. In the missing bag were two specific postal packets, one containing a cheque for £lB 8s 4d, and another a cheque for £lO 0s 3d, which, stated the detective, the accused was seen to pass. That was all the evidence he had to offer at present.

"The'accused is not unknown to us/' added Detective Sweeney. The Magistrate: "Is he favourably known to you?" Detective Sweeney: "No, your Worship. ' ■* "I shall grant bail in a substantial surctv," stated the Magistrate, who fixed'bail at £IOOO, in a £SOO personal bond and two sureties of £250 each, on the special condition that the accused reported to the Hamilton police daily at 0 a.m.