BANK CLERK'S FORGERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18896, 19 December 1924, Page 13

BANK CLERK'S FORGERY

FINANCING A MARRIAGE.

YOUNG MAN'S CONFESSION.

PAYMENT OF HONEYMOON BILL.

Tho details of a bank clerk's unfortunate scheme to finance his honeymoon were revealed when Harold Keith Jones, aged 23 (Mr. Dickson), was charged at the Police Court yesterday before Mr. J. W. Poyuton, S.M., with having forged and uttered a cheque for £450.

Richard Everard, assistant accountant at the Auckland branch of tho Bank of New Zealand, stated that accused had been employed as a clerk in various branches, of the bank since 1918, and had been transferred to Auckland from Wairoa in September, 1924. His salary was £225 a year. Witness was conversant with the account of a depositor, Mrs. Elizabeth Burns. Tho cheque for £450, produced, bore a signature similar to that of the depositor but was a forgery. The cheque had been forwarded from tho Auckland Savings Bank and had been passed for payment on November 19. Accused had an iccount at the Bank of New Zealand, and the forged cheque form had been abstracted from his own cheque book. An attempt had been made to obliterate the number on tho cheque and to substitute the number of Mrs. Burns' current account. Accused was on leavo from November 23 to December 16.

George Huston, clerk in the Auckland Savings Bank, stated that the forged cheque had been used to open an account in the name of Horace Matthew Martin. On November 21 £430 was drawn from this account.

Senior-Detectivo Hammond said that accused was arrested on December 16. A draft for £200 issued by the Union Bank of Australia at Wellington, was found in his possession, and among his effects was an Auckland Savings Bank depositbook bearing tho name of Horaco Matthew Martin, and a cheque book from which the forged cheque form had been obtained. Accuscd made a confession to witness in which he said that lie had evolved the scheme of forgery as his marriage was definitely arranged and he was short of money. A large proportion of the £200 which had been spent had been used to meet honeymoon expenses. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail being fixed at £250.