CHARGES OF FORGERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23931, 5 October 1939, Page 2

CHARGES OF FORGERY

INSURANCE AGENT'S LAPSE ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE Stated to have altered three bank deposit slips with the intention of showing that a greater amount had been deposited than was actually the case, Francis Cleaver Matthews, aged 32, an insurance agent, appeared before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.. in the City Police Court yesterday charged with the theft of £36 19s 4d from the Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Company, and on three charges of forgery Instructed by Mr O. G. Stevens. Mr W. McAlevey appeared for the accused. Francis Noel Woodhouse, first teller in the Bank of New South Wales, Dunedin. said that on August 17 last the accused paid in £2 to the credit of the complainant company, and three deposit slips were made out, one for the bank and a duplicate and triplicate, stamped and initialled by witness, for the depositor. The triplicate slip produced in court had been altered and nurported that £l2 had been deposited. Two other slips, each Originally for £4, were also shown to witness, who stated that they had both been altered to indicate that £l4'had been deposited. Phillip Neville Burry. local superintendent of the complainant company, stated that from June to September of the present year the accused had been employed bv the company as an agent. On September 9 witness interviewed the accused and asked him how much he had banked on August 17, the accused replying that he did not remember. The triplicate deposit slip for that date was then shown him. and he stated that he had banked £l2. On being asked how it was that the original slip showed only £2, he. replied that he had short-banked that week-end and had paid in £lO the following week. On being told that the bank had no record of this transaction, he admitted having spent the money. An examination of the accused's collecting book disclosed that he had failed to account for £5 9s lOd, and there was also a shortage of. £1 9s 6d made Up of 10 small amounts. Witness produced statements by the accused in which the latter admitted having altered the deposit slips and having failed to account for the other amounts mentioned. It was necessary for the company's agents to bank their receipts each week, and as the accused had reiunded £5, there was still £3l 19s 4d due by him to the company. To Mr McAlevey: The accused offered to make restitution in full.

Detective Sergeant Hall produced a statement signed by the accused and containing an admission of the offences. The accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail being allowed in his own recognisance of £IOO conditional on his reporting twice daily to the police.