THEFT OF £971.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 21, 26 January 1933, Page 8

THEFT OF £971.

TRANSPORT MONEY.

DUPLICATION OF CHEQUES. CLERK'S FRANK ADMISSIONS. Pleading guilty to ten charges of stealing sums totalling £971 7/7, belonging to the Auckland Transport Board, William George Norman Hutchison, aged 28, formerly a clerk in the board's employ, appeared before Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Police Court today. He Mas committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Detective-Sergeant M. O'Sullivan prosecuted, and Mr. R. E. N. Matthews appeared for accused. Joshua Fielder Hollinrake, accountant of the Auckland Transport Board, said accused had been employed as a clerk by the board for the past 10 years. On the evening of January 12 last, Hutchison called at witness' office, and admitted that he had stolen about £700 of the board's funds. Accused frankly admitted all the defalcations. The total' sum taken by Hutchison was £971 7/7. Handled Large Sums. Cross-examined by Mr. Matthews, witness admitted that until' the present offences were discovered, Hutchison's work had been entirely satisfactory. He had handled very large sums of money in the past. Hutchison had given all assistance .in clearing the matter up. When the usual reductions had been made, Hutchison's salary was £3 10/ per week. In a statement which lie made to Detective Moore and signed, Hutchison said he was a single man. "For some months (last 1 have been misappropriating moneys belonging to the Transport Board and I now wish to clear the matters up," he said in his statement. "On or. about August, 1932, I duplicated a cheque for £lf>2 7/6. It was a relief wage cheque. The secretary and two members of the board signed the cheque, which I later cashed at the Bank of New Zealand and kept the money for myself. The following week I again duplicated , a weekly relief wages cheque for £152 7/0 and also did the same thing the following week, the total sum obtained by me in that manner amounting to £457 2/6. which I converted to my own use. Relief stamp duty was deducted by me from the wages .sheets from May 21 to June 11 aiid amounted to £57 7/. I should have bought, stamps to that value and placed them on the respective vouchers, but instead of doing so I converted the money to my own lise. In Charge of Account. , - . "I was placed in charge of >the Imprest Account .aoid was not allowed -t.o have more than £200 in the account at the one time," continued Hutchison. "At present, with the exception of several 1.0.U.'5, I used all the money in the account and have converted it to my own use. I think I have taken about £200."

In a supplementary statement, accused said he cashed a fourth cheque for £152 7/6 on October 11 and kept the money, the £61 14/6 being collectcd by him on stamp duties being correct.

Hutchison was allowed bail in the sum of £250 pending his appearance in the Supreme Court for sentence.