ROBBING THE BOROUGH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 29, 3 August 1926, Page 8

ROBBING THE BOROUGH

MANIPULATION OF WAGES SHEETS. (By Telegraph.) - (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. David Sof ton, tho Onehunga Borough Council's senior foreman, yesterday pleaded guilty to three charges of stealing sums totalling £41 Bs, and seven other charges were jointly preferred against Sefton and Trevor (rrafton Smith, a clerk, involving £247 6s 4d. Smith pleaded not guilty to these, as well as to another charge of stealing £30, the property of the National Bank. Sefton was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, and Smith for trial. Evidence was given that there were irregularities in the time sheets from which Smith made up the pay envelopes which he delivered to the various ganga in a motor-car driven by Sefton. H. Way left the council's employ on 31st October, but his name continued on the pay sheets until 15th May, "J. 16 13s lOd being signed for by Sefton during that period. L. Jackson was employed up to Good Friday, and wages were drawn for him until 26th June, while in the case of L. Willis, for whom three weeks' wages were paid, Sefton admitt d that the name was fictitious. Sefton conveyed the impression to the gtoreman, who had ioften seen him making out the pay sheets for the three men, that they could not write. A constable said that Sefton made a statement in which he said he had not received all the money drawn as wages, but that ho and Smith had taken half each; Smith was-pressed for money on account of his gambling and drinking habits. The Mayor of Onehunga stated that when he pointed out to Sefton on Ist July the irregularity of having individual time sheets and signing them himself, Sefton said he would bring two gangers to testify that the men were working under them. Later the same day Sefton offered to make a clean breast and restitution. Tho Town Clerk said £92 had been refunded by Sefton. / In Smith's case, bank officials gave evidence that he cashed two cheques for £30 and £561 13s 7d on 19th May. The teller, on finding tho cash £30 short, discovered in an analysis that the slip of the larger cheque covered £591 13s 7d, which was tho amount paid out. When interviewed, Smith emphatically denied tho over-payment, but after further porsuasion confessed and refunded £14. The balance, £16, had been used to pay a debt.