FAILURE TO ACCOUNT

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 120, 14 February 1935, Page 14

FAILURE TO ACCOUNT

Departmental Manager For Sentence MONEY-LENDERS BLAMED Pleading guilty to having failed to account for £59 to his employers, Ford Sales and Service, Ltd., thereby committing theft, George Walker Roche, aged 32, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence by Mr. J. Miller, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday. Claude Augustine Higgins, baker, of Khandallah, gave evidence of his having bought a ear from the linn,'' and having traded in a car at £9O, leaving a balance of £136 to be paid by January 6, 1935. On October 29, he had called and seen accused, and had paid him £59. Roche had taken the money, saying he would save witness the journey to the office and had given him an interim receipt, stating that the official one would be posted later. Henry Esau Avery, general manager of Ford Sales and Service, Ltd., said accused had been in charge of the Used Oar Department. When on the due date no payment was received at the office from Mr. ’Higgins, he was reminded of the terms of the agreement, and a few days later had come in. Cross-examined by Mr. W. E. Leicester, for accused, witness said that Roche would know that, the company would remind the purchaser of a car a few days after the due date. He had been with the company for 2J years and had risen from a salesman to his position at the time of the alleged offence. He had been efficient and hardworking. Witness knew that Roche had had a good deal of worry owing to illness in his family, and that hospital and medical expenses had put him heavily into debt previously. Witness had personally helped him witn loans, which had always been repaid. Acting Detective Brosnan said that in an interview with him, accused had admitted receiving the money and failing to account for it. He had said that he owed money to money-lenders, who'were pressing for payment. He had taken the money to repay the loans, hoping that he would be able to pay it back before the date on which it fell due. He had identified the receipt which be had given Higgins. Answering Mr. Leicester, Detective Brosnan stated that accused had said he had had to go to the money-lenders owing ,to continuous illness which had arisen in his family. So far as he knew,' accused had never been previously convicted. Bail was allowed in a deposit of £4OO. Remands Granted Charged with obtaining goods valued at £6/0/3 by means of false pretences at Ilanmer Springs by representing that his camp and clothing had been destroyed by tire, Donald Cameron, alias Duncan Morton Cameron, plumber, aged 47 years, was remanded until to-day. A remand for a week was granted John Doyle, clerk, aged 37, who was charged with the theft of £7O.