MISSING CONCESSION TICKETS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 119, 13 February 1920, Page 8

MISSING CONCESSION TICKETS

CHARGE AGAINST TRAMWAY OFFICIAL. Walter Ashbridge, formerly officer in charge of the tramway depot in Post Offico Square, was charged with having between August 7, 11)19, and January 7, 1920, stolen XGS 10s., the property of tho Wellington City Corporation. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for tho Crown, and Mr. H. F. O'Leary for the prisoner. Mr. Edgar J. Back was foreman of the jury. Giving the Crown version of the cir.e, Mr. Macassey said thnt accused had been in tho employ of the tramway department. He was in charge of the fi eight department and was also in charge of the salo of concession and workers' tickets. It would be shown in evidenco that accused started betting on horses, ■ with tho result that ho got behind with his money. The money he obtained by tho salo of concession tickets ho failed to account for, and he deceived the department by showing that he held a larger number of tickets than he really had. In order to hide the deficiencies (it was alleged) ho tried to innke it appear that an attempt had been niado by someone to break and enter the depot oh tho night of January G, for on the following morning it was found that tho door of tho depot was open,' the safe door was open, and a number of concession tickets were found on the floor. The depot was locked up. on the previous evening by accused and a man named Williams, who was also employed at the depot; and it was Williams who was first to reach the depot in tho morning nnd who discovered the place open. Accused made, a statement to the police that he locked up the premises and that on tho following morning he discovered lOs. in'money.and about .£65 worth of tickets wero missing. The tickets were 3s. concession tickets, and those were tho only ones he could identify. Later he made another statement to the police snd admitted that he had been using pome of the cash for his own purposes. Ho said he had to cover up what lie was doing by making false returns showing (hat ho'had more tickets in hand than wa.i actually the case. Counsel admitted that there was a certain amount of looseness in the system of check by the department. . ,„..,, The case was heard in the Magistrates Court on January 28, nnd tho evidence for the Crown yesterday was on the same lines as that given in the Low Court. . „ ~ ~, . Mr. O'Leary briefly the jury , nnd intimnto'd that he would call eviI dence. At the conclusion of his ad- , dress the further hearing was adjourned until to-day.