SUPREME COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 289, 10 November 1925, Page 7

SUPREME COURT.

DISTRICT CONGRATULATED.

ON LIGHTNESS OF CRIMINAL CALENDAR.

The quarterly sessions of the Supreme Court in Palmerston were commenced this morning before His Honour Mr Justice Ostler. “I have to congratulate the district through you,” said His Honour in hia charge to the-grand jury, “on the extraordinary lightness of your criminal calendar. There are only two cases, and only one will come before you. It is a matter for congratulation in a district so large as this that in three months there are only two cases, neither of which is of a very criminal nature. The following grand jury was empanelled : Messrs 0. Monrad (foreman), G. W. Keeling, W. C. Christie, J. R. Hughes, J. A. Mitchell, M. J. Miller, H. L. Hickson, C. D. Fraser, D. Reid, J. B. Gerrand, D. B. McEwen, F. W. Boys, W. P. Cameron, H. J. Nieholls, J. McLeod, W. E. F. Bendall, P. B. Torstonson, J. Ireland, E. V. Spear, H. L. Young, E. G. It. Tucker, R. Tanner and C. T. Salmon. TRUE BILL. The grand jury returned a true bill in the case mentioned by His Honour, wherein theft and fraud were alleged against Cyril Henry Osborn Lane. ALLEGED FRAUD AND THEFT. YOUNG MAN CHARGED. Lane, a young man, was then arraigned on tho following charges: (1) That, between May 20 and 31, 1925, at Dapnevirke, being a clerk in tho employ of the Dannevirke Borough Council, he did steal the total sum of £l4 15s lOd, the property of tho said local Authority; (2) that, on Juno 11, 1925, he did steal the sum of £1 Is, the property of the council; (3) that, on April 9 ho did steal the sum of 12s Bd, the property of the council; (4) that, on divers dates between August, 1923, and June, 1925, having received a quantity of gas, to the value of £l2 5s Bd, on terms requiring him to account for the same to the council, he fraudulently omitted to account for the same, thereby committing theft; (5) that, in or about October, 1924, with intent to defraud, he did falsify a book, namely, the gas consumers’ ledger belonging to the council.

Lane, who was represented by Mr Cooper, pleaded not guilty to all five charges. Mr Cooke applied for the Crown.

The following jury was empanelled: Messrs L. M. Justice (foreman), ft. K. Bryant, T. S. Dennison, E. A. Mullins, W. L. Bishop, S. H. Snell, W. Edyvean, M. Peterson, S. Summerville, I l '. T. Hansen, C. *E. Petersen and W. J. Edwards.

In outlining the case, Mr Cooke said that accused had been employed by the Dannevirke Borough Council from September, 1921, to June 30 last, as book-keeper and salesman in the gay department, in which position ho had been responsible for the entering up and the banking of cash received. In regard to the lirst charge it would be alleged that he had failed to pay the amount mentioned into the bank, while on the second and third counts he had allegedly failed to account for the whole of certain sums he had received. The fourth charge was more complicated. Accused had taken his own readings of a gas meter on premises he was occupying—premises which belonged to the council. On numerous occasions, it would be alldged, he had wrongfully taken discount, while he had also allegedly entered wrong readings of the meter. After he had left the employ of the council the books Tlad been audited and the alleged discrepancies discovered. Accused had forwarded the sum of £l7 6s 7d to gccount for the deficiencies.

Charles Albert Mears, town clerk, Dannevirke, in evidence said that it had been accused’s duty to iusuo receipts out of the cash sales book for all moneys he had received and then, at tho end of the day, to enter tho amounts in the general cash hook. The moneys would be banked tho following day. The cash sales book produced in court contained duplicates of the receipts issued by the gas department. Numbers 2626 to 2678, dated from Alay 21 to Juno 1, 1925, were for amounts totalling £l4 15s 10d and with the exception of two for 2s each were in accused’s handwriting. The total sum had not been accounted for by Lane while in the employ of the council, although it had since been banked. A CHARGE .ABANDONED. After witness had given further evidence relative to the second and third charges, the latter was abandoned on His Honour’s suggestion. The Court then adjourned for lunch.