MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 511, 29 September 1915, Page 10

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TO-DAY'S CASES. Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., presided at the sitting of the Police Court this morning. ALLEGED FORGERY.

John Fitzpatrick was charged, on three informations, jvith forging three cheques for £2 each, drawn on the Bank of Australasia, Christehurch, and causing James Savage, Mary Crowe, and Marv Ellen Allen respectively to act upon them, as if they were genuine. Ellen Catherine Crowe, daughter of the 2>roprietress of the Cass Boarding House, in Manchester Street, gave evidence ot' receiving the cheque for tea, bed and breakfast for three, -and her mother, Marv Crowe, "Said she had given accused £.l in change. Subsequently, the cheque was dishonoured. James Savage, licensee of the White Swan Hotel, in Tuam Street, said he gave accused £1 19/9 change on a cheque for £2, after he had taken a small beer. The cheque was returned from the bank. Mary Ellen Allen, in the employ of Albert' John Oed, draper, at Bangiora, said that Fit/.patrick tendered the cheque produced in payment of an account of 14/3, and was given £1 1.1/9 change. The cheque was not questioned, as witness knew Fitzpatrick. Subsequently ,the cheque was returned dishonoured. Emily Robinson Bowdeu, a married woman, living at Tai Tapu, said sho was a daughter of Mr James Hirst, who some years ago was a storekeeper in Ferry Road. No portion of the cheques produced had "been written by her father. Eric J. G. Bice, ledger-keeper at the Bank of Australasia, said there was no man of the name of James Hirst having an account at the bank, although a James Hirst had an account there in 1900. The cheques produced were from a cheque book issued in 1907 to James Hirst, of Ferry Road.

Detective Ward said that on September 20 he arrested accused for drunkenness, and he had the cheque book produced in his pocket and two cheques signed "James Hirst." Next morning, when he was sober, he Said he got the

cliequo book from a man named Hirst. He admitted having cashed a cheque atthe' Cass Boarding House, and said ho wrote it himself, and the other two men at the boarding house with liiiu were not concerned. He said he had written and cashed other cheques—three or four —when he was drunk, but he pould not remember where he had cashed them. He remembered cashing one at Oed's, at Kangiora. , .

Accused said lie would reserve his defence, but later changed his plea to one of guilty, and was committed for sentence.