"SUDDEN TEMPTATION."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 9

"SUDDEN TEMPTATION."

A DISHONEST CLERK. STEiIXS HEM'S MONET. 1 REMANDED FOR SENTENCE. i The story of how an Auckland clerk, with a previous good and honourable record, on sudden temptation, stole £3 belonging to his firm, was told at the Police Court this morning, when George Nicholl, aged 35, admitted stealing £3, the property of his employers, on- May 23. Mr. Mahoney appeared for Nicholl. Chief Detective Hammond said Nicholl had for some time been employed as a clerk in the company's Auckland office. The £3 stolen was made up of postal motes, which were rebates. "The worst feature of this case is that a lot of time and trouble was caused the postal authorities, while several officers came under suspicion," said Mr. Hammond. Mr. Mahoney said Nicholl had an excellent war record. He enlisted in 1914 in the Army, and later saw service in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve until tTie end of the war, when he retired. He - cam© to New Zealand after a period in Canada and was married in New Zealand. He had a wife and one child. Last June his father was killed in a motor accident, while a little later his ropther became involved in an accident and only recently emerged from hos-pital. At the present time accused's wife was critically ill. Counsel said those who had known Nicholl were greatly surprised to hear of the offence he had committed. However, it had been committed on sudden temptation.« As he had now losfc. his position and suffered greatly ae a result, Mr. Mahoney asked the magistrate to deal leniently with accused, who was a first offender and a man with a previous good character and reputation. Nicholl was remanded until Wednesday next for sentence. The magistrate instructed Mr. W. J. Campbell, the Probation Officer, to report on tue case. Accused was ordered to remain in custody in the meantime. o