FORGERY PROVED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23181, 29 October 1938, Page 18

FORGERY PROVED

ACCOUNTANT GUILTY A VOUCHER FOR £l6/10/REMANDED FOR SENTENCE RECOMMENDATION TO MERCY A verdict of guilty wjis returned by a jury in tho Supreme Court yesterday against George Graham, accountant, aged 63, on a charge of forging and uttering a Maori Land Board vouchor for £l6 10s. It was alleged that Graham had forged tho signature of Rapata Pita, of Helensville, on February 21, 1930, and had caused a postal official to act upon the forged voucher as if it were genuine. Mr. Justice Fair presided. Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, prosecuted, and Mr. Selwyn Clarke conducted the defence. Yesterday was the fourth day of the trial, and all that remained was the delivery of His Honor's summing up. His Honor directed the jury that the case depended on whether the Crown evidence had satisfied them beyond reasonable doubt that Rapata Pita had not signed his name to the voucher for the payment of £l6 10s. If he had not signed it the only reasonable inference was that the accused, Graham, had forged the signature. If tiiey had any real doubt after careful consideration the accused was entitled to the benefit of that doubt. They might think that tho only issue was whether Rapata Pita was giving honest evidence or not, and various matters were relied on by the defence as throwing doubt on his reliability. The jury would have to consider whether these matters would lead them to reject Rapata's statement that he did not sign the voucher or receive the money. The Crown also put before them evidence which it f>aid, taken in conjunction with Rapata's evidence, proved the case agifinst the accused. That evidence was chiefly that of a handwriting expert. After an absence of more than four hours the jury returned with a verdict of guilty, adding a strong recommendation to mercy on account of tho accused's age. His Honor said tho jury could rest assured that the fullest weight would be given to its recommendation in determining what sentence must be imposed. Tho prisoner was remanded for sentence.