THE RANGIORA SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 191, 8 August 1900, Page 2

THE RANGIORA SENSATION.

I [PEE PBESS ASSOCIATION.] i Christohuroh, August 7. At the Rangiora Magistrate's Court this morning, the charges against . Alexander Y. Hay and William Allan ' of misappropriation of funds entrusted to the Bank of New Zealand were ■ heard. Hay, who was formerly manager of the Bank, was charged with stealing i the sum of £6B 15s. Evidence was led ' to show that J. Baker, a client of the Bank, handed him a oheque for £6B 15s, rent due to Campbell's estate, and asked him to pay it into the executors' account with the Bank. This was not done, the cheque being cashed by accused and placed to the credit of his ' own account, which had been over- , drawn. Accused afterwards signed a s written admission of the appropriation > of the money. Accused reserved his I defence, and was committed for trial. Hay was further charged with stealing £BO 2s sd, and was also committed ; for trial. The evidence was to the i effect that the overdraft of one J. M. i Booth was not satisfactory to the Bank, : and accused paid it out of the Bank i funds. Booth subsequently paid the amount to accused, but he did not return it to, the Bank funds, i Hay was then charged, with William , Allan, formerly teller of the bank, with i haviog, on various dates between January 1, 1894, and July 10, 1900, ' stolen various sums amounting in the whole to £4583 18s 6d. The case for i the prosecution was that the sums had i been taken from the fixed deposits of clients of the bank. Evidence was led i to show that several persons had paid in sums to be placed on fixed deposit, but on investigation by the bank authorities it was found that these amounts were not shown by the books to be on deposit. The Acting-Manager at Rangiora stated that he hid that morning been handed the following letter by Allan: —"Rangiora, July 28, 1900.—James Embling, Esq., general manager Bank of New Zealand, Wellington.—Dear Sir, —With reference to the irregularities which have been for some time going on at the Rangiora branch, at which point we were manager and teller respectively, we now wish to state that the irregularities commenced by the payment from the funds of tbe bank to cover a bad debt of £BO 5s 2d, made on January 29, 1894. From | that date we have used the bank funds when occasion arose until we became so hopelessly involved that we were unable to face the position, and which was rendered all the more difficult by j j our being nearly always in a muddled state by drink. We trust that the; bank will allow us to repay as much of the money back as we possibly can ' raise, and would most earnestly ask the ' Bank, for the sake of those dependent, ; on us, to deal with us as leniently as j possible,—Yours faithfully, (signed) A. iY. Hay, W.Allan." The accused, who reserved their defence, were committed for trial. ; Bail was allowed as before—A. Y. Hay in the sum of £llsO and two sureties of £6OO each; and W. Allan in £IOOO and two bureties of £SOO each, The'. bail was forthcoming. I