FAILED TO ACCOUNT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 25 July 1928, Page 9

FAILED TO ACCOUNT.

FOR MONEYS COLLECTED. INSURANCE CANVASSER FINED. An insurance canvasser. James Heni v Edwards (36) appeared at the Police Court this morning, when he denied two charges of having failed to account to the Colonial Mutual Assuranrv Society, Ltd., for sums of £1 19/ art! £3 18/. Mr. \Y. Schramm represented Edwards. Evidence was given by two witnesses that they had paid the amounts to Edwards Leonard George Smithers, local manager of the society, said that accused's duty was to collect premiums and write new business. In one case Edwaros had made a rebate of 5/ when the premium was paid up for one year. This was quite contrary to the rules and was not permitted by the society. The amount of £3 18/ had been paid oy cheque to Edwards, who handed the cheque in, utilising it to make up shortages. There was a total of £39 short in Edwards' general account. The next witness, Mr. Higgins, assistant superintendent of the company, said that Edwards admitted to hi'n that he had been paying in premium* for people in his district who could nt afford to pay. Edwards said he fe.t sorry for them, and that was the reason he paid the money himsel Cross-examined by Mr. Schramm, witness admitted that collectors frequently did this. In evidence, Edwards said that he had been paying in money on lapsed policies which were not his own, but on r.he book generally. These he was charged up for. He never used any of the moniy himself, and he denied that he was short to the extent of £39. Counsel submitted that there was no intention on accused's part to be dishonest or to defraud his company. Xo doubt he had been following a system which had been both loose and wrong. Edwards was a married man with a wife and family of six, and Mr. Sera mm asked that no conviction should be entered so as to give Edwards, who h?d since been dismissed, a chance. He was at present out of work. Mr. McKean said that Edwards hid made a false return in one case. On one charge accused was fined £">, and on the other he was convicted and ordered to make restitution of £-5 7/.