BUTCHER'S DEFALCATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 13, 16 January 1905, Page 5

BUTCHER'S DEFALCATIONS.

j TWENTY-TWO CHARGES. , James Watkinson Blakey, a young . :■ married man who had been employed by |Mr George Wallis, a Karangahape-road : butcher, pleaded guilty in the Police Court this morning to having fraudulently failed to accoant to his employer | for sums of money totalling £10 16/, on 22 different occasions. ! Blakey was defended by Mr C. J. Parr, I who suggested to the magistrate, Mr McCarthy, that it was a ease possibly for probation. Wallis had rather a peculiar system of business, as he trusted Blakey ; ivvith a cart-load of meat, which he sold to various customers, weighing it in the cart. The accused had collected various accounts, which he neglected to pay to his employer. He had previously borne a good character, his previous employers, j with whom he had been for a number of ! years, being prepared to give evidence ion his behalf. Chief Detective Marsack explained j that the thefts were discovered through I Blakey suddenly disappearing. The defalcations extended over three months. His Worship said he was satisfied that there was a certain amount of design in covering up the deficiencies, and the accused could not be said to have been of previous good character, as upon 22 different occasions he had betrayed his employer's trust. The fact that the J amount was not large only seemed to demonstrate that it was due to a want of opportunities- He sentenced the accused to three months' hard labour.