ALLEGED FORGERY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12015, 18 December 1924, Page 5

ALLEGED FORGERY

ENGINEER CHABCED HOW HE OBTAINED B.E. AND B.Sc. DIPLOMAS. “FILLED IN NAMES HIMSELF.” Arnold Edward Rhodes was before Mr E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with forging a certificate purporting to confer the degree of Batchelor. of Engineering, i signed Hi- G. Hargraves, secretary, and Robert G. Stout, president. Phillip Norman Rundle said that the accused was employed by him as a imbrication engineer until September 24th last. Rhodes said he was a graduate of Canterbury College, and he used the initials 8.E., B.Sc., A.M.1.E.E., - A.M.1.M.8. after his name. In July .witness went to Christchurch and interviewed Professor Steele, of Canterbury OoiSage, and j learned that Rhodes was not a graduate of Canterbury College, and that his name was not on the register. He informed Rhodes of it, and Rhodes said that he would have the matter fixed up. Witness then went to Mr Norris with , the accused with a certificate, Mr Norris being registrar for the New Zealand Universities. Mr Norris said that the certificate was never issued by a New Zealand University, and that the accused had no right touse the initials B.E. and BJso. after his name. Rhodes appeared to be astonished, and a few days later he resigned from witness’s employ. At the interview with Mr {Norris he mentioned that he had attended a college in Christchurch run by a Mr Thomas, and had not been a pupil of Canterbury College, Detective Walsh gave evidence that when he first interviewed accused hs said that he went to a sohool of engineering in Christchurch managed by Mr Thomas and that at the end of the course he sat for an examination and passed. He then received a diploma signed by Hargraves and Robert Stout which he thought" entitled him to use the initials B.E. after his name. Later accused stated that he was given the diploma in blank form, and that he filled the names in himself.' The accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail of £76 was renewed.