SUPREME COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 104, 4 May 1934, Page 4

SUPREME COURT

CHRISTCHURCH SESSION. [ Per Press Association. ) CHRISTCHURCH, May 3. The Supreme Court continued the hearing to-day of 24 charges of theft and eight of forgery against Leslie < evil Johnson, formerly accountant aud organiser of Gold Band Taxis. The amount involved is £426. Counsel for the defence said that the case was not one for a criminal prosecution. Prisoner had saved Trillo’s business by a masterly stroke of fin Since, so that the creditors who had been clamouring for a settlement actually in effect lent Trillo £2OOO free of interest for 15 months. Lt was hard to believe that Johnson was only to be I aia as a junior clerk when he bad . . aii; become the Gold Band Taxis and Trillo the figurehead. Tiie Judge said that counsel for the defence had addressed the jury eloquently. but there were certain things he had mentioned which should not influence them. They could get out of their minds that this was a case of a civil settlement. It had been very prrperly brought before them to be dealt with as a criminal matter. A feeling of gratitude should not l»e ex pc-eted to condone the commission of crime. The jury returned a verdict of g'lLty on the four charges of theft that the Crown had particularised. Prisoner was remanded for sentence till to-morrow. On the other theft charges there was a formal verdict of not guilty. Stay of proceedings was <pplied f or on the forgery .-ounts.