THEFT OF FOURPENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 November 1907, Page 7

THEFT OF FOURPENCE.

CHARGE AGAINST A TRAMWAY CONDUCTOR. ...;'.. TWO MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. (BY TELEGRAM"—TRESS ASSOCIATION.). .' ■■. Auckland, Novembor lu! William Spcnce, a conductor, employed by tho Auckland Electric Tramways Company, appeared at the Police Court to-day bofoi-o Mr. Dyer, S.M., charged with the theft of fourponce, money belonging to tho Company; Mr. M'Veagh, who appeared for Spenco, pleaded guilty, ■ but out of the. plea arose a somewhat interesting discission as to tho application of tho Jfirst Offenders' Probation Act, and its moral effect in 'specified cases. ' • . His Worship considered that Won whero a convicted porson had previously, had an unblemished character, when lie'.wns one of a large number of persons similarly situated in positions of trust, the application' of the' Act was dubiously justifiable as , a deterrent. Mr. Marsack, in outlining the circumstances, related that-on November 2, Spcncc, who was on an Onohunga car, sold a ticket to a passenger who dropped it in tho car beforo leaving, and Spence picked the tickot up and sold it again to another passengor beforo the journey's end. Tho tickets wcro on blocks, tho top number of each block having to be entered on tho waybill at eithor terminus, this being tho check. During the journey the car was boarded by oho of tho company's inspectors, who secretly: marked the ticket, and on the return journey ho boarded the car again and found tho nu in her of the same ticket entered on the waybill as the top one of tho block on starting from the Onohunga terminus. Mr. Dyor: It appears thon that suspicions wore entertained against this man and that stops wero takon to verify them.

After longthy evidence tho Magistrate exprosscd the opinion that Sponco had been carrying on tlio same of defrauding tlio compiin.v for soino time, and had at last been naught. Ho brought, by his conduct.a certain amount of suspicion in the minds of the management upon the whole of his follow conductors. As to probation ho (Spence) certainly deserved punishment, and ho (the Magistrate) considered it would bo n very bud precedent to set up if such men could curry on their dishonest practices until found out, and then feel fairly secure of obtaining tho- advantages of probation. It would be wrong in tho public interest to allow such a precedent to bo established. A Bcntonca of two months' imprisonment with hard labour was passed.