POST AND STRAINERS DEAL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1929, Page 9

POST AND STRAINERS DEAL

SALESMAN CHARGED WITH FRAUD. By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, Last Night. The alleged failure of Peter Francis Wilkie, while acting as a motor truck salesman for Bate and Bell, Ltd., Napier, to account for a portion'of the proceeds of a sale of posts and strainers, which allegedly should have gone to reduce the indebtedness of a Maori client of the firm, resulted in his being charged in the Supreme Court this morning with tho theft of £557 10s. The charge against Wilkie, for whom Mr, H. F. O’Leary, of Wellington, appeared, was that on or about July 1, 1928, at Ornonin, and on various dates between July 1, 1928, and February 27, 1929, he did .receive from Pouipi Chase 9647 posts and 130 strainers of the total value of £837 10s on terms requiring him to account for their proceeds to his employers, Bate and Bell, Ltd., and did fraudulently omit to account for £557 10s of that amount. Chase's indebtedness to Bate and Bell was on account of a motor lorry purchased under the hire purchase system. The hearing of evidence for the prosecution occupied all day. The defence will bo heard to-morrow, following which there are several other charges of a similar nature to be preferred against Wilkie.