FORGERY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2003, 20 December 1921, Page 3

FORGERY.

A YOUNG MAN’S LAPSE. Ernest James Lowther, a young man, appeared before Messrs M. A. Eliott and W. F. Durward, J.’s P. at the Police Court in Palmerston North yesterday, on a charge of forging a cheque on the bank of New Zealand at Hamilton for the sum of £6, signed "J. O’Haroa.” Detective-Sergeant Quirke appeared for the police. Accused was not represented. William White, taxi-driver, of Palmerston North, deposed that between 2 and 3 p.m. on November 30 he had seen accused at the taxi-stand near the railway station ,at Palmerston North. Accused had arranged with witness to drive him to Levin. Accused had also stated that he had no money. Accused invited him into the Masonic Hotel and spoke to the barman who was holding a cheque belonging to accused. The barman said he did not have enough money in the till to cash the cheque hut he had no doubt he would be able to cash it when accused came back from Levin. The barman told witness the cheque was all right and that he had already given accused £1 on it. Accused told witness he would pay him when he came back. Witness drove accused to -4i place about six miles from Levin. He heard accused talking to a Maori there about trucking a horse to Hamilton. When they arrived back in Palmerston North they returned to the Masonic Hotel. Accused went into the hotel to see about the cheque already there, and witness waited for him. After about 10 minutes witness went into the hotel. Accused told him that the licensee of the hotel would not cash the cheque and said the only thing he could possibly do was to issue another cheque. Accused asked witness for a blank cheque which witness gave him. Witness filled in a cheque for the amount due to him (£6.) Accused signed the cheque and told witness to draw it on the Bank of New Zealand, Hamilton. Next day witness paid the cheque Into his account at the Bank of New Zealand, Palmerston North. Witness had never seen accused before November 30 and did not know him by his correct name. Accused had told him he was a barman at Hamilton. Detective Culloty, of Palmerston North, gave evidence as to the arrest of accused on the present charge. Prior to charging him with the offence, accused said his correct name was Ernest James Lowther, that he had been drinking and that the cheque he gave the taxi-driver was a valueless one. Ho admitted signing the name of J. O’Haroa to the cheque and initialling it. He knew nobody of that name. Accused also said that he had no banking account at Hamilton. Accused told witness he would give the police every assistance. Accused had made a voluntary written statement to this effect. “ONLY THING FOR PILES.” Thus writes Mrs F. P,, Tokomaru Bay;— "I have been on holiday and left ‘Zann behind. Please send at once, as It is the only thing that relieves me, and I have suffered from the malady.” A new booklet, "Piles; Their Cause and Cure” —which fully describes the Zann Double Absorption Treatment for Piles, mailed on receipt of three penny stamps. Money refunded if not satisfied with Zanr. Treatment. Address, in confidence, the Zann Proprietary, Box 9 52, Wellington.*