CHARGES OF THEFT

Evening Star, Issue 21469, 21 July 1933, Page 10

CHARGES OF THEFT

COMPANY DIRECTOR IN COURT COMMITTED FDD TRIAL [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, July 21. The hearing of theft charges against James Millward Houston was continued.Charles A. Dewberry, the accountant of John. Burns and Company, said he discovered discrepancies in the stocksheets of the Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, branches for which discrepancies it was alleged accused was responsible His investigations revealed that 171 machines included in the branch returns of stock submitted by accused. were not in slock; they had been, sold. . . . Detective Mills said be interviewed accused on June 29. Accused said: “ I deny stealing any money the property of the Burns Company. Any explanation J . have to make 1 will make to the judge.” _ Accused reserved liis defence, and was committed for trial. Bad was fixed in £SOO, with sureties of £350 and £l5O. accused to report daily* to the police.

[Houston, aged forty-four, described as a company director, appears on ten charges of the theft of sums totalling £1,883 and of forging a stock-sheet, causing John Burns and Co. Ltd., lo act upon it as if it were genuine. From much technical evidence given it appeared that the accused was operating an agency business, in which he succeeded his brother about 1925. He dealt in consignment stocks of. hardware supplied by Burns and’Co., and under the agreement was required to supply the firm with a notification of the sales made, and to remit payment thereof.]