SHORT-WEIGHT GOLD.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 284, 1 December 1915, Page 8

SHORT-WEIGHT GOLD.

CHARGE AGAINST CHINAMAN

A Chinaman. Ah AYah, who was arrest&d at Hamilton last "week on ■ a charge of counterfeiting, appeared on remand before Mr Rawson, S.M., on Friday. The evidence showed that a billiard saloon keeper named Lyons entered accused's shop, and asked him to change a £1 note. " In return lie received a half sovereign and several silver coins. Two days later he discovered that the halfsovereign" had been considerably filed down. Ho returned with it to accused, who said he remembered changing the note, but denied giving Lyons the half sovereign produced, remarking, "No, me no givee that; I too careful with gold." Lyons therefore handed the coin over to the 'police Three days later the Chinamail entered the local branch of •■'tho National Bank. Amongst his credit a diminished half sovereign was found. The teller, on the lookout for spurious coins, handed it back, with the remark that it was no good, and that he would renort the matter to the police. Ah AYah asked no Questions when the coin was returned. AVhen Senior Sergeant Cassells and two constables visited the Chinaman's shack some days later they found on accused ten genuine half sovereigns. As they were about to search the till accused opened it, and from beneath some papers produced a halfsovereign considerably reduced in size-. Asked where he got it accused replied that he received it in the shop, and took it to tlio bank to find out if it was a good one. The coin • weighed 2dwt. 31 grains-, or SJ grains short of the wt'i'>;!it of similar coin of 1915. Air Rogers, tor the defence, con- ' tended that the coins wore not eoun- I terfeit, as nothing had been put on the edges to conceal the filinjrSenior Sergeant * Cassells produced authority to show that genuine coins iiltd it ihi c !gis m »n to di inm<-!i 'it ! U ,-Jtt CO'l^tltllL 1 ( OllliU !ft itimr. ' ! ( I () C ( I t