BAIL ESTREATED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18025, 25 February 1922, Page 10

BAIL ESTREATED.

BONDSMAN LOSES £100. ACCUSED FAILS TO APPEAR. , JUDGE GIVES WARNING, Bail of £100 allowed Percy Broadhurst, who failed to appear for trial at .the criminal session* on a charge of.conspiring to defraud an Austrian of £13, was estreated by Mr. Justice Stringer in the Supremo Court yesterday, Mr. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, had applied for bail to be estreated, and the bondsman, H. J. McNeil, billiard room proprietor (Mr. Singer), sought to show cause why tho application should not be granted. His Honor said he was unable to relieve the surety of his responsibility, as he .was satisfied he had hot taken sufficient precautions to ensure the attendance of the accused, man. He was rather afraid bondsmen did not quite realise, the extent of their responsibility, It was necessary that they should keep in close _ touch with the accused persona so that if they saw any reason to suspect they might not attend they could communicate with the police. Ho had consulted with Mr. Juetice Herdman and they had decided that in future bondsmen must understand they would not be excused unless they could satisfy the Court they had taken all roasonablo steps to keep in touch with an accused person and acted promptly if they saw any reason to suspect he might not attend. The recognisance was accordingly estreated.

SUM OF £900 FORFEITED. fc SEQUEL TO THEFT CHARGE. An order for the estreatment of bail of £200 allowed William Farrelly, who had been remanded to appear at Te Kuiti on a theft charge, but had failed to do so, was made by Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Mr. Fleming appeared for tho bondsman, Earl C. Watson. Counsel said it was a most unfortunate case for the bondsman. Farrelly had been charged with the theft of £o and remanded to To Kuiti. Watson, who was a friend of accused, had found bail. It was subsequently found that there were other charge involving several hundred pounds against accused* and ho had failed to appear at To Kuiti. Counsel said his client was entirely free from complicity in the matter, and he asked that the question of estreatment be held over for a month. It was very hard on Watson, who had acted in good faith. Chief-Detectivo Mcllveney said he had been instructed from Wanganui to apply for estreatment. It was well known at the time that other charges were pond'ing. Accused then had no money, but he had obtained somo from somewhere, and disappeared. The quostion was who supplied the money. After further argument the magistrate said he did not see any good in holding the matter over. These cases were becoming very frequent. He could not postpone estreatment, Watson could apply for tira 9 in which to find the amount.