ALLEGED THEFT

Southland Times, Issue 20011, 27 October 1926, Page 5

ALLEGED THEFT

BANK CLERK CHARGED LARGE SUM INVOLVED ACCUSED COMMITTED FOB TRIAL (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, October 26. To-day William Henry Melvin pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court to the theft of £2OOO from the National Bank of New Zealand where he was employed. Stuart William Spence, statement clerk in the bank, said that on some occasions accused had asked him to make out some statements for him and he had done it for him. Accused had made pencil copies of them. When they were finished witness took them to accused. The latter was on leave some time ago and in that period witness received a telephone message to leave a current account ledger out over night. It was from Lto MA. Accused said that he wanted to come down in the morning to look at it. Witness made out Langdown’s statement (produced) at th§ request of accused. The notes were in accused’s handwriting. George Louis Pomfret Dodd, secretary for the firm of Langdown and Sons, Ltd., said it was usual to get a monthly statement from the National Bank and he instructed the clerk to get one for the period ended September 30. Witness received it and it showed a balance of £4840 4/-. The one received was one of those produced. Witness balanced the books and the balance from the bank did not respond, showing a shortage of £2OOO. Clement A. Stevens, in charge of the National Bank at Papanui, said that on October 4 at about 11.30 a.m. accused called at the Papanui branch office and as the result of what accused told him witness gave him the bank revolver fully loaded. Later witness went to look for accused and found him in the Wellington Hotel. Witness got the revolver back from him after some persuasion. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court to appear on Friday. Bail was allowed, conditional on accused reporting at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Bail was fixed at self £lOOO and two sureties of £5OO. each.