CORPORATION FUNDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10442, 23 April 1912, Page 1

CORPORATION FUNDS.

CHARGES .OF MISAPPROPRIATION [Per Prkss Association.] mJNEDIN, April 22. At the City Police Court to-day Frederick Percv 'Evans, clerk, formerly in the employ of the City Corporation, was charged on five informations with appropriating the corporation's funds. The first charge was that the accused made false entries in the account book in connection with the account of Messrs Lauha-m Bros, with intent to defraud. Counsel for the prosecution stated that the accused had been in the service of the City Corporation for over twenty years, and ultimately had been appointed clerk in charge of the gas department. Messrs Lanham Bros, were supplied with coke to the value of £lO7 12s, on which the discount amounted to £8 lis 6d. The balance of £99 Os 6d,was paid, but the accused credited the firm with only £69 0s 6d. the balance being credited to an old account. No one knew any tiling about this old account, and when Mr Lanham was sent for an extraordinary course of falsifying accounts was revealed. Deficiencies were shown in making up the old account, and the accused admitted that he had misappropriated the money. The accused was suspended and afterwards dismissed. The second charge also related to Messrs Lanham, and was in connection with forging and uttering a voucher in February last. Mr Lanham sent a debit note to the Corporation for £4 os 2d for carting, but the voucher was altered by the accused by substituting the name of Bishop, an ex-employee of Messrs Lanham Bros., for that of the firm, and altering the amount to £o 8s 2d. The voucher was receipted by the signature "W. Bishop," but the writing, counsel understood, was sworn to be Evans's. Evans got the voucher and cheque from the cashier and cashed it with the assistant cashier. The next- case had reference to Messrs Mauley and Co., the charge being one of having stolen a cheque received from that firm in December, 1905. Mr Manley gave a cheque for £lO. It was not paid to the Corporation, but into the account of A. Moss, then a well-known bookmaker. Evans's endorsement was upon the cheoue. The next charge was that of falsifying books. In Manley's case the accounts from June, 1910, to July, 1911, had been properly charged by Evans and properly paid by Manley, but the amounts paid by Manley were larger than the amounts charged against him in the books, and tho balances were put to the credit of Manley's earlier accounts to cover defalcations. The accused was further charged with making false entries in a certain book in the possession of his employer in relation to the account of Messrs W. B. Manley and Co. Evidence was given in support of all the charges, and the accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial. Bail was allowed, accused in £3OO on the first charge and two sureties of £l5O each, with accused's own recognisances of £3OO on the other charges.