TO STAND TRIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20260, 21 March 1934, Page 4

TO STAND TRIAL.

Charges Against ex-Taxi Firm Employee. After evidence had been heard in the Police Court yesterday on twentysix charges of’ theft of money totalling £462 12s 6d and eight charges of forging receipts, Leslie Cecil Johnson, fiftythree years of age, a farmer, of Burnside Road, was committed for trial on the indictable charges. The money in respect of which the charges were brought was alleged to be the property of Charles Seymour Trillo, proprietor of Gold Band Taxis. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., was on the Bench. It was stated in evidence that Jphnson was formerly organiser and auditor for the firm. Accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. Evidence was given later in the afternoon by Mrs S. R. Pemberton, formerly a clerk in the employ of Gold Band Taxis, who said that Johnson had advanced money to Trillo. Witness had also advanced money to the firm. At one time the amount was about £4OO. Some of it had been repaid. Cheques were diawn by her on several occasions on John son's instructions. An Investigation. Claude W. Evans, public accountant, said that as a result of his investigation of the firm’s books he discovered a total deficiency ot £7OO. Of this £462 12s 6d was accounted for by frauds dealing with cheques. These frauds were committed by two distinct methods. The first was by drawing sums in ex cess of the amount owing to firms, and the second by showing in the cheque-book and other books that certain amounts had been paid to firms, when in reality nothing or only part of the money owing had been paid. Detective Robert Thompson gave evidence of having interviewed accused Accused admitted to witness that he had drawn cheques for larger amounts than were shown in the corresponding cheque butts, and had failed to account for the money. Accused gave as his excuse that the firm owed him a considerable sum of money and that this was the only way in which to get it back from the firm. At a later interview accused admitted altering all the cheques with the exception of two, one for £4O and the other for £lO. Later investigation showed that the £4O had been paid into Trillo’s account and the £lO paid to Mason, Struthers, Ltd., in settlement of an account of Johnson’s. Accused pleaded not guilty was committed for trial on each of the indictable charges. Two summary charges were adjourned sine die. Bail was allowed in the sum of £2OO with one surety of £2OO or two of £IOO each.