THEFT ALLEGED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 172, 23 July 1941, Page 8

THEFT ALLEGED

EMPLOYEE ON TRIAL

The case in which Frederick John Hawke (Mr. Dickson and Mr. Henry) was charged with the theft of £135 19/11 when employed as a servant ot John Court, Ltd., in charge of the photographic department, was resumed before Mr. Justice Fair and a jury in the Supreme Court to-day. Evidence was led by Mr. V R Meredith for the Crown, in support of the allegation that, suspicion caused by an increase in takings when accused was on holiday, resulted in a check being made on the takings and the work done between November 1, 1940, and the following April 5, which disclosed a shortage of the amount stated in the charge. Witnesses were cross-examined as to the reliability of the check made and the possibility of the shortage having occurred through other causes than theft by accused. An admission was made that a boy who regularly collected the morning and afternoon tea dishes between November and April went into the room where the money was kept and was later dismissed for theft. A police witness said the boy referred to had sold goods and kept the money, his thefts being a series of five or six. (Proceeding^