TO PAY HIS DEBTS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 262, 1 August 1929, Page 13

TO PAY HIS DEBTS

A SECRETARY’S THEFTS WHITEHOUSE COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE Walter Whitehouse, a clerk, aged 59, admitted before Mr. E. Page, S.M.; in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday having between June 1, 1926, and July 4, 19-7, failed to account to his employers, the Te Aro Loan and Discount and Investment Company, for sums of money totalling £658 Os. Id., thereby committing theft. , , ~ James Rod, chairman of directors, said that for some years accused had been employed as the secretary of the company. Part of Whitehouse’s duty was to receive eash and account for same and pay it into the bank. During the time he had been employed up to the disclosure there had never been any need to question the honesty of the accused, who had always been regarded as a thoroughly straightforward and honest man. A public accountant, James Mclntosh, said that he recently investigated the books of the company and found certain shortages. Accused was asked to make a statement, which he did, and the shortage was found to he £658. Asked to explain the shortage, Whitehouse did not give any satisfactory explanation. The shortage was the difference between the assets and the liabilities. Detective Sergeant Holmes, who arrested the accused, stated that Whitehouse in a statement said that many years ago he got into financial difficulties, and had to borrow money and pay interest, with the result that he became further in debt. For many years he had been unable to pay his way owing to debt, and all the money taken had been used to satisfy pressing creditors’ claims. Accused, who was not represented by counsel, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was refused.