RUGBY FUNDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 24, 29 January 1938, Page 18

RUGBY FUNDS.

SUB-UNION'S LOSS. LABOURER'S THEFTS. GAOL SENTENCE IMPOSED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Friday. Arrested in Pongaroa on .Tanuarv 7 as he wae stepping on to a service car leaving for Miwtcrton, Thomas Leslie Alexander, a labourer, iige<l 28, of Pongaroa. pleaded not guilty in the Police Court tins morning to four charges of theft at Poivmroa from the Puketoi Rugby sub-union of sum* of money totalling £104 <>/(H on various dates during la*t year. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn eaid the accused was appointed secretary of the union in May, Ht;t">. and members suspected nothing until September last when Alexander absented himeelf from meetings. In December one member brought him to a meeting to assure hi* attendance, and he then frankly admitted he had n*ed the union funds. He promised to make restitution of £50 at a meeting thirs month, but* jiwt before the meeting date it was rumoured in Pongaroa that lie wax leaving the district. It was then he was arrested on the J>oint of •departure by car. He had only it/ in hi< posses ion. Betting was his great trouble. Alexander pleaded not guilty to a further charge ofr stealing £10 7/1 from the <!iiis' Coast Hockey Club at Pongaroa. Members gave evidence that he had been asked to produce funds, but had not. Alexander conducted his own case, drawing from witnesses the admission that the meeting which decided to take action against him did not hive a quorum attendance. He claimed he had not been notified of the meeting and, therefore, had not had an opportunity of making restitution. : Questioned by the magistrate, Mr. J. L. Stout, accused said he had money waiting for him in Pongaroa to make restitution. The Magistrate: Where"? Accused: That I will not say. The Magistrate: Then you are convicted of theft on this charge also.. Sentences totalling two years' imprisonment were imposed.