Accidents & Offences

New Zealand Mail, Issue 759, 17 September 1886, Page 24

Accidents & Offences

ALLEGED DEFALCATIONS BY A BANK CLERK.

A young fellow named Arthur HodgaoD, late bill clerk at the Union Bank of Australia in this city, was arrested at Nelson on Saturday afternoon charged with having embezzled the sum of £59 9s lOd from the Wellington branch. It appears that in looking over the books on Wednesday week the officials discovered somewhat heavy defalcations in the accounts of the accused. He was examined by the manager and suspended on Thursday, but on Friday he managed to escape from the city in the Hawea, and was traced to Nelson, where his friends reside. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Friday, and on the strength of this the detective department despatched a telegram on Saturday to Nelson, which led to his arrest. He was brought up before the Resident Magistrate at the latter plaee and remanded to Wellington, where he arrived on Monday. Hodgson was charged at the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning with having on the 27th February, 1886, he being at that time a clerk in the Union Bank of Australia, embezzled the sum of £59 12s lOd, the property of the Bank. Mr Jellicoe appeared for the accused. Inspector Browne explained that the accused had only very recently arrived from Nelson, and was brought before the Court at Mr Jellicoe’s request, in order that bail might be applied for. He (Inspector Browne) asked for a remand for a week, and pointed out to his Worship, as affecting the question of bail, that the charges against the accused were very heavy, alleging defalcations to the extent of £IOOO. Mr Jellicoe objected to this statement, and pointed out that the accused was only charged with the embezzlement of £59 12s lOd. His Worship fixed bail—two sureties of £l5O each. The case was then remanded for a week. Subsequently the necessary sureties were obtained, and the accused was liberated on bail.