STOLE £100.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1939, Page 12

STOLE £100.

SALESMAN IN DEBT.

LOST ON HORSE RACES.

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

A salesman named James Archibald Henry Hardman (-29), who admitted that lie paid his debts with money which lie collected on behalf of his firm and then bet on racehorses to try and set the money back, appeared in the Police Court before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., to-day and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on a theft charge. Hardman. for whom "MY. Noble appeared, was charged, that between November 2.">, 1 !MB, and February 27 last, lie fraudulently omitted to account for or ,pay sums totalling £100 ,'5/11 to the Dromorne Linen Company, thereby committing theft. A number of witnesses gave evidence concerning orders and payments made to the accused. Detective Lane, who interviewed Hardman. produced a statement made by the accused in which lie said he started work for the company as a traveller on November 0. Hardman admitted having failed to pay into the firm's office a sum totalling £100 3/11. He was earning £5 '2/6, and was not on commission. He was expected to collect on delivery of any order where the customer was prepared to pay him. In other cases accounts were sett in. It was his duty to account for all the money and pav it into the office. "My reason for not paying the moncv into the office was that I was in debt.*" accused said in the statement. "I paid these debts with money collected and then bet on racehorses to try and get the money back. The money is all spent and I am unable to make* restitution." Mr. Noble showed that, during the time lie had been employed, accused had accounted to the firm for sums totalling about £100. °

Hardman pleaded guilty and was com nutted to the Supreme Court for sen tence.