Bushworker Admits Forging His Wife’s Name On Cheque

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 June 1948, Page 6

Bushworker Admits Forging His Wife’s Name On Cheque

The explanation that he was “broke” at the time and worried about his wife’s maintenance, which was £6O in arrears, was given by John Day, bushworker, aged 46, when interviewed by the police regarding forging his wife’s name to a cheque for £7O, which he cashed to the extent of £27 17s lid at a Pokaka store.

This was stated when Day appeared before Messrs L. V. Kerby and W. F. Durward, Justices of the Peace, in the Magistrate’s Court. Wanganui, yesterday. Accused pleaded guilty to two charges and was committed to the Supreme Court, Wellington, for sentence. .

Day was charged with forging his wife’s name to the cheque and also with causing John Lawrence, Pokaka, to act upon it as if it were genuine. Detective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson prosecuted and accused was not represented by counsel.

Allan John Lawrence, storekeeper. Pokaka, said Day had been a customer and a resident in the district. On the afternoon of May 21 accused came into the shop and asked witness if he could cash a cheque for £7O. Witness said he could not cash the cheque fully, but could give him £l5 to carry on with. Witness said accused was separated from his wife and the cheque represented payment from money he had invested in Trafalgar House in Wanganui. Witness said that he had believed what accused said.

Accused said he was goinsg to Rotorua and would telegraph if he ran short of money. On May 25 witness received a telegram asking for £lO and that amount was sent on and was collected. On June 1 witness banked the cheque and as a result of what he was told later put the matter in the hands of the police. He had actually paid out £27 17s lid on the cheque. None of that money had been refunded.

Arthur Gordon Dooley, bank officer at the National Bank of New Zealand in Wanganui, said that accused had an account at the bank at one time and the cheque produced was one from a book issued to him. Accused’s wife was also a customer at the bank. On June 2 the cheque In question was

received at the bank, purporting to be drawn on the account of E. M. Day. The bank had such an account but the signature was not reasonably satisfactory. After getting in touch with Mrs E. M. Day, the bank decided not to pay out on the cheque and it was returned to the previous witness. Detective L. B. Vasta, Wanganui, said that he interviewed accused at National Park on June 16, and he volunteered to make a statement. While he was at Horopito, accused stated, he made out a cheque for £7O. He cashed it, receiving the sum of £l5 and paying two accounts with it. He later received another £lO in cash on the cheque. He frankly admitted forging his wife’s name to the cheque because he was “broke” at the time and was worried about his wife’s maintenance, which was £6O in arrears.