JEWELLERY TRANSACTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15951, 23 June 1915, Page 5

JEWELLERY TRANSACTION.

CHARGES OF THEFT. ,

E. G. NURSE IN COURT.

ACCUSED PLEADS NOT GUILTY.

The circumstances connected with the alleged theft of jewellery by Ernest George Nurse were inquired into by Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday. There were five charges, and the total value of the jewellery involved was £4262 16s 6d. Mr. R. A. Singer appeared for accused.

J. G. Restell, accountant and auditor, said that he was at present receiver for the National Bank in connection with -a jewellery business known as Nuk's, Ltd., carried on at Auckland and Christchurch. He was appointed to the position in con sequence of a debenture given by the company to the bank in July, 1914. Acidised and his brother had started the/ business, and had been granted an overdraft for a considerable amount by the bank. Upon the formation of the company accused and his brother becartih directors, and witness was appointed secretary. On April 21 ho gave notice to. accused that the bank intended to take action under tho debenture, and nine days after that he became receiver. In consequence of a telephone message he received on May 3 from Simmons's shop, in Queen Street, onb of the' businesses run by the company, he visited _ thin establishment. The manager told lu'm that tho safe had been inter* fered with, and , showed him tho empty trays that had contained jewellery. He subsequently ascertained that jewellery had also boon removed from tho safo in the shop at the Strand Arcade. Accused had a duplicate set of keys, but bad no permission to deal with the stock except in the ordinary course of business. Over and.above the jowellory recovered by the police there was still a considerable amount missing. Frederick R. Booth, at present manager of the shop at the Strand Arcade, said on April 22 the accused called at the shop and asked for two pads of the bests diamond rings in tho shop. Ho got 59 rings in all, and witness took down the retail prices whilo accused called them out. He understood accused was going to Wellington and Gisborne. .Nurse did not say what he wanted the rings for and witness had not seen them since. He recollected accused stating on May 3 that there was a lot of jewellery missing from the safe in tho Strand Arcade shop, and that ho had taken it. On opening the safe it was found' that a great deal of jewellery had been taken out. He produced a list showing the jewellery that was in possession of the police on May 3. It was valued at £1146 4s 6d. i George R. Wright said ho had been in the employ of Nuk's, Ltd.,' since 1914. On April 22 the accusal called at the shop, and said that ho had to go to Wellington ,to see the manager of-the National Bank there, and thence to Gisborno. He stated that he had to take all tho diamond rings With him, and was handed 33. Their value was.£so2 ss. On Thursday, April 29, the prev'iotis witness had to take a few days off, owing, to illness. Witness, therefore, locked up both shops at 1 p.m. on May 1. The jewellery in the safe at Simmons's shop was valued at £393 10s. Accused met him on May 3, and told him that ho would find some jowellery missing from the safe. On opening the Wo ho found that tho jewellery had been taken, and ho reported the matter to Mr. Restell. Detective Cummings said that -ho arrested accused on May 6, and in reply to the charge Nurse said it was hard that a man should bo charged with stealing his own property. He recovered a box containing jewellery addressed to Alfred Hundy, Birmingham. It was marked inside that it was the property of accused. The value of the jewellery was £1532. Ho produced a telegram sent by accused to the Christchurch branch regarding the jewellery mlstiing from the Christchurch branch, which had been Bent to accused. He admitted it was correct. In a statement accused said that he had sent certain jewellery to Hundy, Birmingham, by post, but, so far, this had not been traced.

Accused pleaded not guilty, and was comirftted for trial. Bail was allowed in £250 and two sureties of £360. -provided accused reports himself twice daily to tho police.