FORGERY ADMITTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19809, 2 December 1927, Page 14

FORGERY ADMITTED.

A VISITOR FROM SYDNEY. WANTED TO BUY A HOTEL. VALUELESS CREDIT NOTE. Forgery was admitted in the Police Court yesterday by Richard Thomas Douglas Cook, aged 22, who was charged with forging a credit note on the Bank of New South "Wales for* £5749. He also pleaded guilty to charges of forging a promissory note for £4O, and a letter, purporting to be signed by W. Evans, of the New Zealand Loan and , Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, and of obtaining £5 by means of a valueless cheque. With regard to the first charge Frank K. Stratton, hotel broker, Fort Street, said accused had told him he was a publican from Sydney and wanted to buy a hotel saying he had £SOOO cash. After hotels had been inspected and accused had decided upon certain premises, it was discovered that the credit note was a forgery and that he had no money. . During the negotiations he had borrowed £2 from Stratton. By the way lie talked witness had decided he was a man of means John Fenton, manager of the Commercial Bank of Australia, Newton, stated accused, who had said he desired to transfer the £5749 to his bank, drew a cheque for £5 The note, however, was valueless.

Evidence given by Allan Evans, accountant for th c New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, was to the effect that accused had called on him and said ho was in tho wool business and that ho proposed to buy wool scouring works in New Zealand. The promissory note was not authorised by him to bo drawn, and the signature on it was not his.-

" No ordinary business man who knew a bit about banking would be fooled by that slip," said a bank official in evidence. "If anyone produced that credit note and said he had money in the bank I would laugh at him." Detective Nalder said accused did not seem to realise the gravity of tho offences ho had committed until the police explained the position to him. Accused, who is married, recently arrived from Sydney. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.