DISASTROUS SPECULATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 20109, 25 February 1929, Page 7

DISASTROUS SPECULATIONS

GAMBLING LEADS TO THEFT YOUHG MAH COMMITTED FOR SEHTEHCE Associated with a gambling set and heavy speculations on the race course led to the downfall of Howard William Thomas, a young man, who pleaded guilty in the Police Court this morning to the theft of £206 Is (xl, the property of Henry Schueideman, at various dates between February 4 and February 19. Chief-detective Cameron conducted the prosecution. The accused was represented by Air A. C. Hanlon. Henry William Schueidcinan, clothing merchant, with headquarteVs at Wellington, stated that his firm had 'a branch shop in Dunedin, The accused had been in his employ for three years past as manager of the Palmerston North and Hastings branches, and for the past four months as manager of the Dunedin branch. On February 6 witness received a debit note from his bank in Dunedin for the sum of £55. On February 21 ho came to Dunedin to investigate. He found that £6l was placed to his credit on February 4. That amount included the cheque for £55. Inquiries showed that £6l 19s consisted of the takings for the day, and was payed into the bank on February 4. The cheque was subsequently cashed. Witness made further inquiries and found that there was a shortage in hanking of £6l Is 6d between February 4 and 19. Tlio system in the shop was to allow £3 in petty cash for change, and this was also missing. Witness went through bis stock books and found that there were goods missing to the amount of £79. The cash mid value of tlio goods amounted to £206 Is 6d. The accused bad assisted him to go through the stock sheets with Detective Kenton.

To Air Hanlon, witness staled that tbo accused was entitled to sonic small credit for small amounts.

Detective Kenton said that on February 23 he interviewed accused at the shop'. Accused made a statement in the course of which he said he was a single man, twenty-eight years of age. He was receiving a weekly wage of £6 a week, plus commission, which brought the total to £8 14s (id. At the beginning of February he became mixed up with a gambling set and borrowed a cheque for £55 and used the firm’s cash to square his debts. The cheque was not met at the bank and lie started to retain money on suits sold in the shop. Ho lost £4O at the Wingatui races on iho first .day and lost about £55 the next day. Ho had since been ill and unable to attend to business. Iho accused, added the detective, was quite frank and gave every assistance in clearing up the matter.

Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supremo Court for sentence.

Bail was allowed to accused of £SO in his own recognisance', with one surety of £SO, a condition being ibathe report daily to the police.