£975 EMBEZZLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 99, 29 April 1938, Page 15

£975 EMBEZZLED.

EX-SECRETARY'S OFFENCES.

COMMITTAL FOR SENTENCE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Thursday. Admitting that he had embezzled sums of money totalling £975 at various times from Jine, 1P36, to November, 1037, while organise--secretary of the Oparau Daily Company, near Kawhia, and also manipulated the company's books, Charles Edward Crews, eged 48. ex-secretary of the ?ompany, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence at Hamilton to day. Ball of £500 wae allowed.

Richard Francis Biaine, chairman of the company at the time of the offences, said that Crews' salary on his appointment was £2.50 per annum, and it was increased to £300 in 1937, with £2 a month for car expenses and incidentals.

Evidence was given by the auditors that they found cheques drawn by the company and payable to certain persons or firms had been charged to other accounts. Other irregularities in the company's books were discovered.

The police said the accused at present was in charge 01 an engine on bush work.

In a statement, the accused claimed that he had revived the dairy company. The chairman had promised him a bonus of £100, which he had never claimed on account of the company's weak financial position. He purchased two cars from the money which he admitted stealing, one of which had been returned. After his first year's work the company's overhead costs were reduced by £2000. From his wages of £5 a week he had to pay £2 to his wife for her maintenance. He was out of pocket by providing his own money towards the company's expenses. He admitted that he had spent some of the money on extravagant living.