HOBBS BEFORE COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1186, 8 December 1924, Page 5

HOBBS BEFORE COURT.

GREAT INTEREST IN CASE. ACCUSED REMANDED IN CUSTODY LONDON, Dee. 0. Hobbs, who was concerned in the bank ease, brought, by Robinson against the Midland bank, reappeared at the. Bow Street Court. Extraordinary public interest was manifested in tne ease, a queue composed largely of well-dressed women lorming hours before tiie opening of the court. Sir Marshall Hall ’ to-day defended Hobbs, and -Mr Poland Oliver, who was one of the junior counsel for the bank in the Robinson ease, appeared on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Oliver merely called evidence connecting Hobbs with the receipt of bank notes and proceeds of the eht-qeiis and said he hoped to make substantial progress by December 13 but nobody knew whether, or when. Sir Hari Singh’s aide-de-camp. Captain Arthur, would be extradicted from Paris.

Bank officials gave evidence that an account was opened at the Kingswuy braucli of the -Midland Bank on January 5, 1920, to the credit of C. Robinson, with a cheque for £150,000. On the following day £130,000 in thousand pound notes was withdrawn, and tiie balance subsequently drawn by cheques. An official of the Paris branch of tho Anglo-South American Bank said that Captain Arthur, accompanied bv Newton, on Jail miry 8, 1920, opened aii account with 120 thousand pound notes. He could not say which man handed them in. They produced the notes jointly. Hobbs and Newton took" a bank official to lunch and

afterwards returned to the bank, where they interviewed the manager. who suggested an investment in the Defense Nationale and Dentes. While at lunch Newton had said Hobbs was a retired solicitor, but Hobbs signed the specimen signature card as an accountant. The official produced a letter signed bv Hobbs, authorising an investment as advised. The chief accountant of the AngloSouth American Dank stated that the £40,000 worth of Rentes was transferred from Hobbs to Arthur on February C. 1920. Arthur’s stock account showed that he disposed of his Rentes in November, 1921. The Magistrate, in refusing bail, said he could not forgot that Hobbs was caught leaving the country with a large sum of money. Hobbs was remanded to the 13th inst.—A. and N.Z. cable. POTENTATE TO GIVE EVIDENCE. LONDON, Dee. 6. The Daily Herald says that, despite statements in other newspapers, Sir Hari Singh has already reached Europe. It repeats that he is still aboard ship and arrives in England just before Christmas. He will give evidence against Hobbs and the others. Tiie Herald acids that the authorities made every 'effort to conceal the laet that Sir Hari Singh was cn route to England and the steamship company was instructed to withhold information.

Director of Public Prosecutions and Scotland Yard officers again held a prolonged consultation in reference to the eases.—A. and N.Z. cable.