THEFT CHARGE FAILS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22349, 21 February 1936, Page 15

THEFT CHARGE FAILS

DISMISSAL OF CASE Charged with stealing a cheque for £8 l4s od from his wife, May Genevieve Shanks, on January 20, a farmer, John Shanks, aged 45, appeared in the Police Court yesterday. Senior-Detective Hall said that accused had taken a letter from a box on his wife's property at Ellerslie. He had opened the letter and extracted the cheque, which he later endorsed and cashed. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn said it was found that the cheque had been Paid into a hotel's account at a Newmarket bank. Accused had been legally separated from his wife about seven Bionths ago. Witness read a statement jo which accused admitted taking the letter and cashing the cheque. Accused said that he and his wife had been in the habit of opening each other's correspondence and cashing each other's cheques. He admitted that lie had had So authority to do so in this case. He had told his wife about it and had given her £7. Mr. Wilson said there was considerable doubt in his mind as to whether there was any intention of stealing. The evidence was not sufficient to justify ® conviction, he added, and the case Would be dismissed.