"SECRECY" PLAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 224, 22 September 1938, Page 24

"SECRECY" PLAN.

STORY TOLD COURT. ALLEGATION OF THEFT. QUESTIONS PUT TO SOCIETY. 'Special—By Air Mail.) LONDON, September 3. •Ti.lm Alexander OellefT. Wakefield Building Society officiiil, was alleged at Bo«- Street Police Court to have admitted defalcations of nearly £20.000. and to have supported to the society a "secrecy"' plan into which came seven question.;: — 1. Ts there a warrant issued for n;y arrest ? 2. T)o you propose to heve a warrant issued ? .*?. TTav:« the police been informed? 4. Will any action be taken against me if I return? 5. Doe* the society guarantee my freedom ? 6. How much a week will the society allow my mother if I am arretted and tell all? 7. Has the society approached my mother on the matter? Mr. if. Griffith Jones, prosecuting, read from a letter containing the questions. He said that Gcllcff disappeared from the society's London office at the end of June and wrote the letter to the society on July 1. In the letter he offered to help the society in investigating his defalcations. "Rush On Bank." The letter continued: "If you can't get hold of me to put mattere right you will have to face a difficult position, and if there is publication of the facts you may run tie risk of a rush, ou the bank." Gctfleff, it was alleged, then suggested that all the fact* should be kept secret and that nothing should be said.outside the office. "My plan," he was said to have written, "is that you should not call in the police until my mother's future is secured. I waut you to do nothing unless you gtiarantic a fixed weekly allowance to mv mother.'*

Gelleff, aged Ml, of Campbell Road. Twickenham. appeared on remand charged with stealing £.500 from the. society. He was again remanded on his mother'* bail of £100.

It was said that the whole loss would be met out of the society's immense reserves; no client of the society would lose a penny.