THEFT FROM COMPANY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 5, 6 July 1943, Page 3

THEFT FROM COMPANY

OVERDRAW^ CHEQUES

P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, July 5. How New Zealand Grinding and Gear Co., Ltd.,; had. agreed to pay 20 per cent, commission on all orders re- \ ceived from the- Air Force to an officer described as Squadron Leader J. T. Brown was alleged in the Magistrate's Court today when John Lindsay Graham, soldier, aged 40, former secretary of the company, pleaded guilty before Mr. E. C. Levvey, SJVL, to the theft of £671 18s 6d, the property of the company, between February 7, 1941, and May 12, 1942. Graham was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence., ■''.'.. , . |" 'Detective M. Thompson said that in a [statement. Graham said that at about the' start of 1940 Squadron Leader Brown, engineer-officer at a South I Isjand station, had called on him stating "that he wanted 20 per cent on all orders put'forward by him on behalf of the Air Force. Payments had been made to Brown on an average twice weekly. Brown had never given any "portions of the money he received to Graham. "I considered Brown a very hard man and riot willing to give anything • away," continued Graham's statement. ' * ' < < Joseph Austin Petrie, Government Audit inspector, said that Graham admitted drawing cheques for larger amounts than were -actually due to Brown in; commission and keeping, the difference .himself. The total amount drawn by cheque on behalf of Brown was £3651 3s 6d, continued Petrie, and of that amount Brown had been paid £2979 ss, the balance being retained by; Graham. •