VALUELESS CHEQUES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22206, 5 September 1935, Page 14

VALUELESS CHEQUES

CHARGE AGAINST CLERK FORMS STOLEN BY BAILIFF "Accused is of a rather irresponsible type," said Senior-Detective Hall in the Police Court yesterday, when James Patrick Durkin, clerk, aged 23, admitted two charges of false pretences. Mr. Hall said accused on August 23 had obtained an overcoat and £4 17s from a Wellington firm by falsely representing that a cheque drawn on the Union Bank of Australia for £8 17s was a good and valid order for thai/ amount. The cheque was signed "C. E. Burroughs." Accused had obtained another overcoat and £3 14s by a similar method from a second firm. In this instance, the cheque was signed "V. E. Burrows." Mr. Hall added that accused had obtained the cheque forms from a man named Elcombe, who also would appear. On behalf of accused, Mr. Noble said his client had never been in trouble before, Edward Victor Elcombe, aged 34, appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing two cheque forms, valued at 4d, from a Wellington firm. Mr. Hall said accused had stolen the forms while on the premises of the firm in the capacity of a bailiff employed by the Magistrate's Court at Wellington. He then went under the name of Endean. He had several previous convictions. "I am not going to pass over a man who was in a position of trust like that," said the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, in imposing a sentence of two weeks' imprisonment. The other accused, Durkin, was remanded for a week for sentence.