SOLICITOR CHARGED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 10

SOLICITOR CHARGED.

BATCHELOR BEFORE THE COURT. MAGISTRATE REFUSES B’Alli. (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 13. Jn the Magistrate’s Court to-day John Black Batchelor, solicitor, of Christchurch, was charged before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., that on July 0, 1928, he stole the sum of £OB6, the property of Leonard Percival Voice. Batchelor was not represented by counsel. At the request of Chief Detective Carroll, the accused was remanded till February 21.

“ I ask for bail,” said tbe accused. “I object to bail,” said the Chief Detective. “We have been chasing this man for over six months.”

“ Bail is not allowed,” said the magistrate. _ Batchelor, who was a solicitor in Christchurch, disappeared some time ago, and after his affairs had been investigated a warrant for bis arrest was issued. For a person who has created so much public interest his return to Christchurch after an absence of about six months in Australia was particularly unostentatious, A shy, timid-looking little man, very quietly dressed, there was nothing to distinguish him from any of the other people who arrived at the station by the train this morning. Batchelor arrived at Lyttelton by the ferry steamer from Wellington under police escort. Probably to escape any publicity on his arrival in Christchurch, be did not take the ferry train* which arrived in Christchurch at 7.30 ■ o’clock, but waited. until a later train from the port, which arrived al 7.45, and was not so crowded.