MERCER FINANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 263, 6 November 1928, Page 5

MERCER FINANCES.

DEFICIENCY AIXEGED.

TOWN CLERK ON TRIAL. ' A charge of stealing from the Mercer Town Board, between April 1, 1924, and August 2, 1928, a sum of £353 9/2 waa preferred against Augustus Henry Francis Wisneskv (42), railway signalman and clerk to the Town Board (Mr. Moody) at the Supreme Court to-day before Mr. Justice Smith. Mr. V. N. Hubble prosecutcd. Outlining the case, Mr. Hubble said an audit of the Town Board's books was made on July 16 of this year by the Government auditor. No audit had been made for a number of years because of the difficulty of getting in touch with accused. The auditor found there were no entries in the books from March 31. Details of the alleged deficiency were given by Hugh Wylie, Government audit 'inspector, who said accused received £26 a year from the Town Board for his services. The arrears were:— Hall rate account, £139; motor drivers' license fees, £53; heavy traffic license fees, £42; dangerous goods license fees, £10; motor drivers' license fees, £16; and cash, £93. No audit had been mada between 1924 and 1928. Accused appeared surprised when his attention was directed to the shortage. He thought it .might be £40 or £50. He had been in the habit of taking small amounts for his own use, but lie considered he replaced the money when he received his quarterly payments.

To Mr. Moody, witness admitted that, so long as the board had a credit balance, it did not appear to be worried about the finances. Like all small boards, it did not have much system in that connection.

Regiiiald Aylett, ex-chairman of the Mercer Town Board,. said accused was appointed clerk of the board in 1922. Witness admitted to Mr. Moody that the arrangement under which ratepayers often had to go to the private residence of accused to pay their rates did rot appear to be satisfactory. Mr. Moody submitted to the jury the methods of controlling the board's finances were somewhat lax, and the case indicated the need of having the books of small local bodies audited annuallv, instead of at infrequent intervals. The accused was lacking in a knowledge of accountancy, and counsel suggested there had been carelessness and stupidity on accused's part. "I was appointed because they could not get anyone else to take the position," said accused frcm the witness box. Accused said he intended resigning four or five months before the audit was made. The jury, after a retirement of an hour and a quarter, returned a verdict of guilty, and made a strong recommendation to mercy, in view of the muddled state of the whole position and the methods employed by the Town Board.