TOURING IN THE NORTH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7067, 3 March 1910, Page 1

TOURING IN THE NORTH

1 —— CHARGE OF THEFT ALLEGE© ADVENTURES OVER TWO .YEARS AGO. The theft on or about January sth, 1903, of .£45, the property of Donald MoKenzie, was the offence charged against a young man named James Curtin, alias George Maurice Carson, at tho S.M. Court yesterday. Mr Webb appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. McKenzie, an elderly man, a stonemason, living at Harper street, C'hristehurch, said he arrived in ' Wellington shortly after Christmas, 1907. He had been working oil the Main Trunk railway and was on his way to Christchurch for a holiday. He put up at a hotel near the railway station and there made tho acquaintance of a man named Carson. He could not say whether accused was the man or not. Ho had frequent conversations with Carson, who said he and his brother owned a 1500 acre farm near Palmerston. He offered witness a job on the farm. Witness and Carson slept in the same room at the hotel.- Witness had £45 in notes in his possession and lent accused £lO on the Monday morning, he saying that ho had to go to Dalgety's for a cheque for his wool clip. When witness took tho £lO from his purse Carson remarked that he (witness) was carrying the money too loosely and offered to bank it for him.' He pointed out that he had a banking account and that as witness was going to Palmerston with him and was going to work on his farm it would be a convenient, arrangement for the money to be banked in his account. Witness agreed. Carson then suggested a. trip to Rotorua, the expenses to be shared between them. Witness fell in with this arrangement also and tho two entrained on Tuesday for Tnihape. Carson then suggested that they should buy a horse and trap and drive the rest of the way. A horse and trap was driven up to the hotel where they were staying, Carson saying ho had paid £4O for it, and the two drove as far as Raurimu.

SEEMED TO BE MADE OF MONEY. Chief-Detective Broberg: Did. Carson say anything about buying anything else? Witness: Oh, he, was going to buy cattle, and going - to sheep—you'd think' he was made of money!

Witness said that from Raurimu (where the horse was left at a stable) they went by ballast train to Taumarunui and thence to Rotorua. At Rotorua they did the sights, and then went on Ao Auckland, w-here> witness lost the run of Carson, who left him at a hotel saying he would return shortly. He did not do so, however. Chief-Detective Broberg: And you never saw him till you saw him jn the Court to-day ? Witness: Well, I'll not swear now that it is him. There's so many doubles! He's got a bit of whisker on him now.

John Daly, barman at the Railway Hotel, said he remembered accused and MbKenzie staying at the hotel early in January, 1908. The two were in'eaoh other's company a good ideal. MbKenzie left before accused did. "VERY NASTY" JSXPERIENCE..

Robert Wilson, labourer, residing at Courtenay place, said he went to see a "man at the Railway Hotel in January, 1908, re employment oil a. farm at Pahiatua. He would not swear that accused was the'man. Witness and a man named Harrison were engaged at 30s a. week .and their fares were paid to Pahiatua. The Chief-Detective: What sort of an experience had you there? Witness: Very nasty!

I think you were stranded there?— Without a shadow of a doubt. We searched . everywhere for Carson's farm and could not find it. We remained there till we could raise tho amount of our fares back to Wellington.

Matthew Wilson, livery-stablekeeper at Taihape, remembered accused coming to his stable on the Bth of some month in 1908 and hiring a, horse and gig. . The terms were 15s a day and £4 was paid down. Accused gave the name of McKenzie. Witness never saw accused again, and. ultimately recovered his turn-out 'at a livery stable at Raurimu. He-had to pay £5 123 od' for stabling, etc. Detective Andrews said that on February 20th, when charged with the offence, accused said, "'You will hare a job to prove that I stole his money.'' He admitted staying at the hotel with McKenzie, but denied stealing liis money. To Mr Webb: Witness did not ask hocused to make a statement. Accused reserved his defence and was committed for trial.