CHARGE OF THEFT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14424, 21 April 1911, Page 6

CHARGE OF THEFT.

Wm. John Hilyard, who gave the | police an opportunity to make a par- i ticularly smart arrest last Saturday, ' through the nee of the telephone, was charged before Messrs N. Francis and E. J. Atwill, J.P's, at Waimate on "Wednesday with ob:aining goods, to the value of 35s by false pretences from .J.. M.urr:iy, storekeeper at Studholme, the. pretence being that an order iie gave ou Meredith and Co. for payment for the articles was good and would he honoured by Meredith and Co. as his employers, whereas lie had in fact left th&ir employment. S. G. Meredith gave evidence that the accused had left their emplov to go to Australia, and ,had been fully -paid. Mr W". D. Campbell, who appeared for accused, showed that accused had an explanation which took his action out of the criminal category. On looking over liis wages account, on his way to Studholme, .accused found that he had not been .paid on all the orders given him by workmates for tilings they had bought from him. one order for £2 not being accounted for. Accused thouaht he would be justified in obtaining goeds to the amount and giving an order on the firm. Mr Meredith denied that there was such an order, and the case was adjourned in order that the man who was said to have given it might be produced. Immediately after the adjournment Mr Meredith found the order in Its office, the ea-e was resumed, and the T3?nch decided, though doubtfully, to dismiss the case. The accused was immediately rearrested on a charge of theft, which will be dealt with at Tiroaru.