P.O. to tighten system

Press, 8 May 1980, Page 7

P.O. to tighten system

PA Auckland Post Office staff have been told to “play' it by the rules” when processing bank withdrawals. The move follows the court appearance of Malcolm Robert Kinnaird, aged 58, of Wellington, on charges relating to the theft of almost $20,000 from the Post Office. Kinnaird stole a savings book from a friend and went on a six-week spending spree, withdrawing money from seven Post Office branches before he was caught. In the District Court at Papakura, where Kinnaird was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, his counsel (Mr N. Wallace) said it appeared that in some way the Post Office had contributed to the ease withwhich the defendant was able to obtain the money. The Acting Chief Postmaster at Auckland (Mr D. Page) has confirmed that procedures had not been strictly' followed with withdrawals by Kinnaird. “There are procedures laid down that officers are expected to follow to the letter,” he said. “It appears that in this case they were not correctly followed.” Mr Page said that staff would be told that procedures must be tightened up.