ALLEGED THEFTS

Evening Star, Issue 21292, 22 December 1932, Page 9

ALLEGED THEFTS

LARGE SUM INVOLVED [Pib United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, December 22. Two employees of the Alliance Assure ance Company were charged to-day with the theft of nearly £11,500. the pro* perty of the company. They were Clarence Alfred Palmer (30) and Walter Vernon Wiseman (33). The police stated that the men had been in tha employ of the company for fifteen years.i Palmer was the cashier and Wiseman the chief clerk. The thefts began in 1924 in a systematic fashion, as much as £2,554 being taken in one year alone. The system the men worked on was that when the monthly returns were made, Palmer deducted the amount of the defalcations from the total and entered the resulting figure. They kept a careful check on their thefts. In 1924 they began with £3 19s and rose to £2,554 in 1931, and £1,907 in. 1932, till October 31. The total sum involved as shown by audit was £11,431. The accused admitted stealing' the money. Herbert Thomas Francis, manager of the Christchurch branch of the firm, gave evidence that for some time past the premium income had fallen away.. Until October last he had no idea "of the reason. At that time he gave notice to clients whose premiums were shown as overdue. Usually these notices went from Wiseman, but in October some went out without passing through his hands. One of the clients wrote in and inquiries were then made and the accused admitted the thefts of the money, which they spent in paying instalments on houses, buying motor cars and furniture, and in living expenses. The accused pleaded guilty and were committed for sentence. Bail was allowed.