CHARGES AGAINST A CLERK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12242, 11 April 1903, Page 3

CHARGES AGAINST A CLERK.

THE LATE FIRE AT REID AND CO.'S. ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. The second case, arising out of the recent fire at Messrs. Raid and Co.'s warehouse, came before tho Police Court on Thursday, when Gordon Bruce Matheson was charged before Sir. T. Hutchison, S.M., on two informations, with the thefts of the sums of 12s 6d and £1 17s, the property of John Reid, on or about February 20 last. Mr. A. Blair appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. J. R. Reed for the accused. John Reid, merchant, carrying on business as John Eeid and Co., said accused had been in his employ as traveller and clerk. In February last- accused went to Coromandel oh one of his usual business trips. Witness produced a sheet, purporting to contain a list of money collected at Coromandel. Tho payment made by John Paul was put down . as £3 10s, and that by James Lynch as £2. In the usual course inquiries were made, when the full amount of accounts was shown to bo not paid. By Mr. Reed: Accused would be entitled to deduct expenses from tho amounts collected. Ho was not limited to any fixed sum lot expenses, and was not required to produce vouchers for everything spent. Ho would also bo entitled to spend a limited sum in treating. Oil the evening of February 23 accused left on another trip to New Plymouth. Witness was not aware of any case in which travellers in his employ put in amended statements. By Mr. Blair: Accused's expenses on that particular trip were shown at £2 on the list furnished. .Tames Paul, hotelkeeper at Coromandel, produced a receipt for £5 7s, signed by accused on behalf of Messrs. Roid and Co. John Lynch, another Coromandel hotelkeeper, handed in a receipt for £2 12s fed, which Mr. Eeid said was in the accuseds writing. Deteciivo Henderson said that, when the accused was' arrested he ma do no answer to the charges. Mr. Blair said this was the ease for tho prosecution. Mr. Roed contended that there was no case' to answer. The accused, on returning from Coromandel, hurriedly made out a return, and then went to Now Plymouth on bis usual business. It was not likely that lie would intentionally falsify a statement, knowing as he did that the accounts would bo sent out again at tho end of the month, when thcr irregularities must be discovered. The case might be considered a suspicious one by a judge, but taking into consideration tho facfc that the accused had been six years in Mr. Reid's employ, and that he must have known that the error would be found out, no jury would convict. 1 His Worship said that some of tho evidence mentioned by Mr. Blair in his oponing address had not been called. Mr. Blair explained that he had overlooked the evidence of ono witness, which was on the back of his brief. Ho asked permission to call this witness, and leave was allowed. Cuthbcrt Rawson, a clerk in Sir. Reid'a office, said that on tho morning after tha late fire in the office ho was instructed tcr take some letters to accused's house. Ac« cused asked him to,get the Coromandel returns. lie met accused again some time afterwards, and he asked witness if he had got the Coromandol returns yet. Witness said no, and accused said, "If you can get them they will be worth £10 to you." Witness said ho would get the returns if h<f could, and ho afterwards informed Mr. Reid, jun., what accused had said to him. Tho accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at tho next sittings of tho Supreme Court. Bail was allowed in one surety of £50, or two of £25 each. On another charge of stealing two dozen bottles of ale, one dozen bottles of stout, and a bag of oatmeal, on or about August 21. 1901, the accused was remanded for a week.