SUPREME COURT

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 41

SUPREME COURT

GISBORNE, September 19

At the Supreme Court, Arthur Gordon Gunn, a well-known local dealer, was charged with having, in May, 1917, at Gisbornc, procured Te Paea Tait to forge an endorsement to a bill of exchange purported to bo drawn by E. Tait on the Mangatu No. 1 Account for £269 4s 6d. Accused was further charged with having, on the same date, used or acted upon, as if it were genuine, a false document, knowing the same to be false in a material part —namely, the order in question in favour o? Nelison and Co., and purporting to be endorsed by Nelison and Co.

The case arose out of a charge of forgery heard at last sessions againSl Te Paea Tait, a married Maori woman, who was convicted of forging her husband's name to certain bilk of exchange and, or, causing them to be acted on as if genuine. Ths» facts were that Mrs Tait owed Gunn money, and tendered him in payment orders on the Mangatu Station account, including one of £269 4s 6d, drawn in favour of Nelison and Co. This had been wrongly endorsed, and when the bank pointed out the mistake Gunn got Mrs Tait to reendorse the order " Ncjison and Co." Ho admitted this while giving evidence against Mrs Tait in the lower court.

Mr L. T. Buraard appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. After hearing evidence the jury returned a verdict in the form of answers to three questions, as follows :—(1) Did accused procure To Paea Tait to endorse "Nelison and Co." on the bill of exchange?—Yes. (2) Did accused knowingly procure such endorsement believing that Mrs Tait had authority to sign same?—Yes. (3) Did accused negotiato the bill believing the endorsement to be_ a forgery?— No His Honor said this was equal fo a verdict of not guilty, and accused was discharged.