SERIES OF CHARGES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 163, 11 June 1926, Page 10

SERIES OF CHARGES

AGAINST THREE PERSONS. COMMITTED TO SUPREME COURT. The hearing of the series of charges against John Joseph Hansen, alias Jim Wereta, aged 23, Neils Marten Olsen (32) and Edith Rosina Smith (22) was concluded at tile Police Court yesterday afternoon before Messrs W. G. Ashworth and G. H. Espiner J.P’s. On the charge against all three of allegedly conspiring to defraud the Postmaster-General of the sum of £159, evidence on which had been heard, before the luncheon adjournment, Wereta and Olsen pleaded guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence, while the female accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Palmerston North for trial.

Wereta was then charged that, on May 31 at Palmerston North, lie did make a false document knowing it to be false, namely a Pos.t Office Savings Bank withdrawel slip for £159 purporting to be signed by Mrs Edith Huggins, and did utter same to accused Smith with the intent that it should be acted upon as if genuine. Mrs Edith Huggins, residing with her husband at Papatawa, gave evidence that, on May 28, her house had been burgled and sundry articles stolen, including her Post Office Savings Bank book. Nobody had been given authority to operate on her account.

In evidence, accused Smith stated that, on May 31, she had met Olsen and Wereta in the street, the latter of whom had given her a savings bank book and a withdrawal slip for £159 purporting to be signed by Mrs Huggins. In accordance with their wishes she had presented the withdrawal slip and the book at the savings bank. Douglas Sydney Comrie, clerk in the savings bank, gave evidence that Smith had presented a withdrawal slip signed '“Mrs Edith. Huggins,” and had been told to fill in a fresh one omitting the “Mrs.” Smith had thereupon filled in another, but had signed “Edith Higgins.” Witness had thereupon referred the matter to the accountant. Sergeant Power, in evidence, stated that, when first interviewed, Wereta had denied that he had filled in the first withdrawal slip and had signed the name “Mrs Edith Huggins” to it. Later, however, ho had stated that he had found Mrs Huggins’s bank book on the road at Papatawa and, after coming to Palmerston North, had made out a withdrawal slip ior £159. This concluded the case for the police, and accused, pleading guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. Bail was allowed Smith and Olsen as previously.