THEFT CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 59, 2 December 1933, Page 22

THEFT CHARGES

Cases in Police Court probation granted Pleading guilty to a ebarge of stealing £2l, Harry Wallingford .Stone, saiemau, was yesterday admitted to probation for two years by -Mr. C. R. Orr-Walker, S.M., and ordered to make restitution of the sum involved. z\s it was stated that betting had contributed to his defalcation, Stone was prohibited from attending race meetings. For three years prior to May last, accused had been employed by Magic Dry Cleaners, Ltd., stated DetectiveSergeant L. Revell. In May a shortage had been discovered in the firms cash. Stone, who had been found responsible, bad severed his connection with the firm shortly afterwards, promising to make restitution. Recently he was seen by Detective Hayhurst and had told him that in January last he had discovered a shortage in his cash accounts, and thought that it’ he made a few bote he would be able to retrieve the loss. However, be had become in Hiis way more deeply involved. He was a married man, aged 30, with one infant child. This was the first time he had been before the court. Asking for him to be granted proba* tion Mr. A. B. Sievwrlght said that this was the first time any suggestion of dishonesty had been made against the accused. "1 am instructed that the method of keeping the accounts in the firm was not in accordance with proper accounting,” he said. “Various members of the staff whose duty it was to collect money for the firm could use that money for the firm’s petty expenses. Errors could quite easily creep in. This is a case where muddlcment was the basis of the trouble that occurred. Also it is significant that no proceedings were taken for about six months. It appears that the firm was holding back in an effort to get the money back from the accused. City Man’s Lapse A city man, whose name was ordered to lie suppressed, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of the sum of £4/1/from the fi rm of Thomas, Quinn and Company, where he had been employed up to June last. At about that time, the police stated,' another employee had purchased a coat for £4/1/-. That person had n-iven accused- the money to pay on her behalf. He did not pay it, but converted the money to his own use. Up to the present accused had borne a very good character. For the accused, it was stated that he was held in the highest esteem in the city, and this was only a foolish lapse. At the time the offence was committed he was in earnest need of, cash, and he could not resist the temptation of using the money. He had meant to reftiiifl it, but since then he had lost his position and had been unable to do so. Accused was admitted to probation for three months, and was ordered to restore the money. Miscellaneous Cases “Tire stealing is very prevalent at present, and it is seldom that we can secure the conviction of any person connected with it,”, said DetectiveSergeant Revell when Reginald Ernest Miles, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of receiving a tire, tube, and rim, valued at £l2, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. He was ordered to return the goods and was fined £lO.

A remand on bail to December 8 was granted Joe Hoe, Chinese fruiterer, aged 45, who was charged with attempting to obtain £l4B from Charles Joseph Williams by false representations. He was arrested in the city early yesterday afternoon.