POSTMASTER CHARGED.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1400, 6 September 1923, Page 5

POSTMASTER CHARGED.

ALLEGED FORGERY AND THEFT. STORY of BURIED MONEY. (By Telegraph. — Press Association.) HAMILTON. Wednesday. The charge ,of forging a Post Office Savings Bank withdrawal slip and a withdrawal receipt, and of stealing £3OO, while in the employ of the Government as postmaster at Tokaanu, was preferred against Joseph Harrison Love before his Honor, Mr Justice Stringer, and a common jury, at the Supreme Court. Hamilton, yesterday. Mr H. T. Gillies appeared for the Crown and Mr E. H. Northcroft for the prisoner. A young half-caste mail carrier, named Duff, said that on several occasions, when in the Tokaanu Post Office, prisoner asked him to witness signatures on documents. Usually the signatories were present, but on two occasions they were not.. Ou these occasions he asked Love if the signatories had received the money accredited to them,/ Loye replying that they had. Witness knew prisoner well, and thought that when he told him things were all right, that everything was in order. He did not remember signing the receipt for £3OO, although the signature appeared to be his. Archibald John McLeod, P-W.D. foreman, said he had taken an interest in the affairs of Queenie Banks, and frequently witnessed her signature when she drew money. He had never witnessed for more than £3O. He had asked Love for her bank book, but had not been able to get it Evidence was given by officials of the chief money order office, Hamilton, as to the withdrawal of the £3OO, which was the only sum withdrawn in the name of Queenie Banks by letter, all the other withdrawals having been by telegram. Oliver Wright, district accountant at the Chief Post Office, Hamilton, was severely cross-examined by Mr Northcroft as to the methods __ of operating accounts, and the condition of Love’s private and office accounts about the time the offences were alleged to have been committed. ’Witness said the prisoner had enjoyed a good record in the service prior to the present affair. Detective Culloty gave evidence of arresting Love, and read out a statement signed by prisoner', in which he denied the offences alleged to him, declaring that Queenie Banks actually drew the £3OO, the witness Duff witnessing her signature in her presence. With regard to the missing bank book, be knew nothing of this, as the last he saw of it was when he put it in an official envelope addressed to the accountant at the chief office for the adding of interest, and handed it back to Queenie Banks to post.

Witness said he had heard from Constable Fry, of Tokaanu. that the old woman Queenie Banks, was curious in her manner and habits and was reputed to have money buried all over the place. In opening the case for the defence, Mr Northcroft referred to prisoner’s youth—he was only 25—a proof in itself of the trust the Department had placed in him, and of his ability. The witness Duff had admitted that the signature to the withdrawal receipt was his and had stated that he Avould not have signed a receipt for so large an amount had the woman not been there, although he said he had no recollection of signing it. Counsel said he would put prisoner in the box. who would state that the Maori -woman entered the office and wanted to change the name in which her money was entered (that of Banks) into another name, so that a nephew of hers, who was in great disfavour, but who was hopeful of getting her money on her death, would receive nothing. This nephew apparently had merited her disfavour, and she asked Love if she could run two accounts, one small one in the name of Queenie Banks, and The other in another of her names. She drew out the bulk of the money for this purpose, but was informed that the Department would not permit one person to run two accounts in Hie Post Office Savings Bank. The old lady, disgusted at the attitude of the Department, took the money away with her, apparently determined to best her nephew somehow, and there was a general rumour in the neighbourhood that she had money buried in different parts of her property.