THEFT OF LETTERS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 46, 31 August 1928, Page 10

THEFT OF LETTERS

POSTMAN SENT TO BOBSTAL "The safety of-mails in the Post Office is of'great public importance, and Courts i never do look lightly 011 offences by officials in the Post Office concerning tampering- with mails," said Mr. E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day, when a young postman, Henry Edwar.d .Roberts, pleaded guilty before him to five charges of stealing letters,, containing, money, postal notes, and six penny stamps, involving altogether £5 8s Cd. Chief-Detective Ward said .that the thefts were committed between 16th July and 27th August. Until his arrest on 27th August the accused was a postman employed in the Postal Department. He joined' the Department in April, 1927, as a messenger, and in June of this year he was employed temporarily as a postman, delivering letters in the Karpri district. '.Che five thefts of money were committed from letters received in the course of his duty. Roberts was twenty-one years of age, and at the age of eleven he was committed to the Weraroa Training Farm for theft. While he was under the supervision of' the Education Department his general conduct was not good. Mr. CO. Bell, who appeared for the accused, said that Roberts had been taken away from home influence at a very early age, but during the past five years he had had a very good character, and had several very good testimonials. So far as the present charges were concerned Roberts had yielded to a sudden temptation. He had paid some small debts he owed with the money he took, and had intended sending some of it to his mother, who had appealed to him for assistance. Counsel asked that consideration be given to the question of granting the accused probation. , "This young man has committed five thefts of five separate letters, and the general report about him is not altogether satisfactory," said Mr. Page. On the first charge Roberts was ordered to be detained in a Borstal Institution for twelve months, and on the other charges he .was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon.