BAIL FORFEITED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 197, 20 August 1931, Page 5

BAIL FORFEITED.

Accused Disappeared; £SO Estreated. MONEY GOES TO CROWN. A formal order estreating £SO bail in the case of John Hartland Pearson, who had absconded, was made by Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning. The bondsman was John Sinclair Langley, for whom Mr Burns appeared. The money was directed to be forfeited to the Crown. Chief-Detective Carroll said that Pearson appeared some time ago on n false pretences charge and was granted bail with a surety of £SO. Langley had provided the surety and Pearson had not been seen since. He asked that bail should be estreated. Mr Bums said that Pearson was manager and a shareholder in a company formed for the purpose of floating other companies. It was rather a curious occupation, for it was the company’s business to approach small busi» ness people to arrange for the formation of those businesses into limited liability companies. Langley, who was an employee of the company, had seen Pearson when the latter was charged and borrowed £SO to secure his release. Mr Mosley: Did he not borrow the money from Pearson’s wife? After inquiries, Mr Burns announced that apparently Langley secured the money from Pearson’s wife, who had herself borrowed it. When Langley found that Pearson had left the hotel where they were staying together, he was considerably perturbed and felt that he was under an obligation with regard to the money. Mr Mosley: Where is Pearson?— Goodness knows. VVhye is his wife?—She’s not here. The Magistrate said that the Court must take a stand that people tvho entered into surety must have some responsibility, for a surety was not a mere nominal undertaking that could be avoided at any time. It was a serious matter that the Court could not lightly overlook. He made the order accordingly.