FORGERY ALLEGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23145, 17 September 1938, Page 24

FORGERY ALLEGED

VOUCHER SIGNATURE HANDWRITING EVIDENCE ACCOUNTANT FOR TRIAL Further evidence for the prosecution was called in the Police Court yesterday in the case against George Graham, accountant, aged 6.'?, charged with forging and uttering a Maori land board voucher for the payment of £'l6 ]<)s to R a pat.a Pita, of Helensville, on February 2, 1936. Messrs. T. I'arrell and C. JO. Phillips, J.P.'s, presided. Detective-Sergeant Walsh prosecuted, and accused, who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Mr. Selwyn Clarke. Detective .Brady produced a statement made by accused, who said he wrote a letter to the Maori Land Hoard at Rotorua on January 213, 1 ( J36, on behalf of Rapata Pita, in connection with moneys due to Pita from his mother's estate at Tauranga. Witnessed Signature Advice was received that £l6 10s was due to Pita, the statement continued, and on February 20 accused accompanied Pita to the Post Office, where the latter signed the voucher for the money, and accused witnessed the signature. Accused had not since seen Pita, nor had any conversation with him in respect of the money drawn. As far as accused knew, Pita drew the money on February 21 and the matter finished there. Constable Francis, police photographer, produced enlarged photographs of writing on a number of documents, including the voucher, specimen signatures of Pita's name by accused, and letters written in Maori by Pita and allegedly by accused. A handwriting expert, Henry William Scott, said he had compared the documents." Witness saitl there were uncommon and infrequent characteristics in the signature specimens by accused, and some similar characteristics in the writing on the voucher. Submission by Counsel Counsel submitted that there was insufficient evidence to warrant sending accused for trial, as the case for the prosecution relied on the "garbled" evidence of a Maori witness and the expression of opinion by a handwriting expert. A fair amount of ingenuity was required to say that the documents were written by the same person. Mr. Walsh submitted that strong prima-faeie case had been presented, and that the evidence of the principal witness had not been shaken in any particular. The justices held that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case, and accused was committed for trial. Rail was fixed at £SO, with a surety for £oo.