Mr, R. Bryan gave evidence of sue notes and certificates for the years 1922, 1923, and 1924, Mr. Evans raised an objection to the putting in of these extracts, and asked that the originals should be produced.
Mr, Kent—Sanetion to conduct the prosecution arrived on Monday, and there has not been time to get the vouchers. It will take several days to et all these issue vouchers.
His Worship admitted the extracts itwess, in_answer to Mr, Kent, said that Gri December 31, 1924, th accounts showed that there was in stock 4,183.50 fang of stone.
In_a lengthy cross-examination, Mr. Evans asked questions concerning the entries in the original books. Mr, Bryan stated that only few of the entries were in hia own hand-Srriting, the. others being. entered his Chinese clerk, They: were all litered from the certiientes and fade vouchers. Witness anid. that the initials "5. W, 1." on the cortificates were those of Hurst, There vere some other figures on_ them Telating to railway" waggons, but witness didn't know Hf these were "Hurst's handwriting or of.
The Chinese store-heaper, Wang Ping-ting, also gave evi Kent. devoted his. exam proving. that hin store accom Balanced with the recount books fiom Int, Bryan's department, 'The discovery of the alleged shortage was described by Mr. LIF. Barnes, who said that he took over his duties on. Febraary. 11, 1024. [AT that time part of Hurst') duties vas to _menstre up the atone. received from the contractor Pu Chang. [anereswes a shaslage uring Memo made the dacvery, November ihat, when Work retake nlock, For thet purpose he Pad all the British Municipal Coun: fil's stone in the diferent parts the Municipal aren collected, me total amounts cal wan a total of 2,067 ang in stock, Te kept the figures him so as to be able to compare them "with there of the store' countant: which the latter would make up at the end of the your When "the afore "accountant "sub: mitted his yearly, balance, witness found. that it showed a' total Shortage of 2,000 Fang of Stone "I at once realived that there could have been very little stone fused in the interim, that Is between November 1924, and the end of the year," said Mr, Barnes, "We had feeeived no stone in November, and T'saw at once there was a shortage cof 2,000 fang of stone. T informed the store accountant of this, and then the Accountant and Secretary."
As the balancing of the two figures had not taken place on the sume date a second measurement wax suggested, the books to be balanced at the same time, and the two results compared. This, was done on February 20 last, On that date the store-necountant's book showed a balance of a little over 4,000 fang, witness' measure ments showed a total very close to the vious mensurcment in November.
The exact amount was 2,086 fang. The first measurement had been made by one of the Chinese engers, and the second by two different. parties working independently. One party consisted Mr. Hsu Chung, together with Hurst The figures were submitted to wit ness by Hsu Chung. The party consisted of two other Chinese engineers. Hsu Chung's measurements showed a result somewhat in excess of those taken by the other party.—not great, less than 100 fang.
Hurst ceased to measure shortly after he issued his last weekly report, which was on April 5. BIN Rames also described, his system of checks.
The proceedings were adjourned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.