DEFALCATIONS BY PUBLIC SERVANT

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 98, 25 April 1917, Page 7

DEFALCATIONS BY PUBLIC SERVANT

SENTENCE: OF SIX YEARS' IM-

PRISONMENT.

Before his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) to-day, Thomas Silsby came up for sentence on several charges of forgery and uttering.

In the Lower Court Silaby had pleaded guilty. He was a clerk in the Public Service, and his' defalcations in connection with the Porirua Mental Hospital amounted to a large sum. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the prisoner, and, aftei" calling evidence of character, pointed out that out of £2870, a totll of close on £2500 had been recovered\and that after arrest Silsby Had made 'a full disclosure, and facilitated in every way the recovery of the money he had received. Counsel also handed in written credetials as to prisoner's character. Some time ago, he added, Silsby's wife and family had gone back to England, and most of the money obtained had been spent in their maintenance. He pleaded for leniency. His Honour said prisoner had not only forged documents) but had violated % a trust. He did not suppose it was the duty of the' Treasury to see that something was wrong with the vouchers, and he did not think the Mental Hospital Department could be blamed. He should not pass the sentence that he had power to pass, but he would have to pass a sentence which would serve as a warning to those who occupied similar positions. On each of- the .six xferges he would be sentenced to one vcar*6 imprisonment) the sentences to be. cuiguktiye— eix y«ar»-iji &1L ' ,