THEFT OF MONEY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9126, 23 October 1917, Page 5

THEFT OF MONEY.

ROAD BOARD CLERK PLEADS

GUILTY.

THE METHVEN CASE

At the Magistrate's Court at Methven this morning, before Messrs H. H. Pawson and W. Morgan, Justices, William John Percy, clerk to the Mt. Hutt Road Board (who appeared on remand), was charged, on the information of De-tective-Sergeant Hunt, of Christchurch, that, on or about February 27, 1*917, at jMethven, he did receive from Robert Wallace Wightmann the sum of £26 13s 2d, on terms requiring him to account for or pay the same to the Mfllunt'Hutt Road Board, and d^ fraudulently convert the same to his; b\vn* use, and did thereby commit theft.- - " "■• ■■- - -1

A second charge had relation to a sum of £9. 11s 2d, received ,ffbm David Alexander McLean, and similarly converted, ,'■ and a- third charge covered a sum of £37 12s 4d, in divers amounts and not accounted for. .Detective-Sergeant Hunt prosecuted for the police. . , Leopold B. Jordan, of thtj Government Audit Department, said that in August last he arranged to audit the books 'of the Mount; Hu.it Road Board. Aceusi^d'postponed the audit;tintil-'.Sep^ teniber.^^Oiv^whenV-^itnes's'yrect'ived-^.tne; books. On September' 18, witness went to' Methven to' enquire into the excessive amount of outstanding ratosj:

and subsequently asked the treasurer

to issue demands for all such' rates, with the result that the irregularities in the present charge were discovered. No entries had been made -in the board's cash or bank books .to show that the rates had been paid to the board, and there were no receipt blocks in the office to show that receipts had been issued for the amount of the shortage. It appeared to witness that ihe shortage had taken place between January-and September.. Wit r ne»s spoke to accused about the "short-' | ago, and the latter admitted cashing ! the two, cheques. During the audit of •'., August, _ 1916, ,'; witness spoke to the accused 'about- tlie number of rates unpaid, aud accused then produced a bag containing £280, in cheques and cash. This amount was paid by the auditor to the bank,-to the credit of the Mount Hutt Road-Board, j

During the recent audit, about £150 was found in the office. Sorue of the cheques of that lot-were six months old. After that amount was banked, the shortage stated in the present charge - still remained. Witness . believed that the 1916 muddle was due to accused's nervous depression, and witness recommended the- board to give accused a holiday. . '•,■■■ •Detective-Sergeant • Hunt said lie arrested accused on October' 16. Accused offered to give every assistance to the police, and did so. He admitted cashing the cheques from Wighlman and McLean.

Accused pleaded guilty to both charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court for rsentenc© on October' 29.

Bail was allowed, himself" in CIOO, with-two sureties of -£\>o.-caoh, or <me of £WO.