CONSPIRACY DENIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 11

CONSPIRACY DENIED

TWO MEN ON TRIAL ENTRIES IN PASS BOOK BUILDING SOCIETY'S FUNDS [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Wednesday Two men, Albert Edward Wight and Andrew John Arkle, of To Aroha, were jointly charged before Mr. Justice Smith in tho Supreme Court at Hamilton to-day with conspiring to defraud the To Aroha Co-operative Terminating Building Society of certain sums of money amounting to £46. Wight was also charged under the Justices of the Peace Act, 1927, with making a declaration that would have amounted to perjury if made on oath. Mr. T. A. Carroll appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. Opening the case ,for tho Crown, Mr. H. T. Gillies said that the career of tho Te Aroha Building Society had been an unfortunate one. In 1930 the secretary, who had been in office for a number of years, committed suicide. After his death it was discovered that part of the society's funds had disappeared. A new secretary named Cotton was appointed toward the end of 1931, and he afterwards disappeared. The funds of the society were again found to be depleted. "Clumsy Fraud" Alleged

In order to assist them in their conspiracy, continued Mr. Gillies, the two accused, it was alleged, had invited a former employee of the society to join them. He had refused to do so, and would subsequently give evidence to that effect. It was a very clumsy fraud, and very little care had been taken by the two accused. Ono document relating to the offence was shown to have been signed on April 4, which was Easter Saturday, ■ and a close holiday as far as the society's office was concerned.

Edward Albert Bruce, secretary of the society, said that the accused Wight was a member. In December, 1931, witness- went to collect dues from Wight amounting to £2O for subscriptions, and £33 16s 8d as a repayment of a loan. Accused then maintained that he hacl not been credited with money he paid in, and disputed the amount owing. Wight said at the time that he could not find his passbook, and he was issued with a new one.

Later the original pass-book was produced by Wight, and the book showed two entries for which there was no corresponding entries in the cash book of tho societj'. Another Member's Claim Cross-examined by Mr. Carroll, witness admitted there was another member of tho society who had claimed he Kas asked to pay an amount twice. Francis E. Burns, a member of a firm of solicitors at To Aroha, gave evidence that the society had consented to crediting Wight with the amount he claimed to have paid in, on condition that he signed a declaration. Wight had signed this declaration with a full knowledge of its nature. Edwin Jackson, clerk, of Auckland, said that he had been employed for several weeks by Mr. Cotton as an assistant. On February 24 of this year ho was approached by Arkle regarding entries in Wight's pass-book. Witness refused* to have anything to do with the matter, which he considered dishonourable. During May of this year, witness continued, he told his father, who was a director of the Building Society, of the. offers of money made to him by Arkle in return for his assistance.

The case was adjourned until to morrow.