Theft Of Royalties Admitted By Forest Ranger

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1947, Page 4

Theft Of Royalties Admitted By Forest Ranger

In his capacity as forest ranger in charge of the northern area of the Westland district,. Lewis Walter Wastney, aged 40, a widower, of Ahaura, received between- April 12, 1946, and June 2, 1947, various sums in royalties from timber cutters and failed to account for them. The result was Wastney’s appearance in the Police Court at Greymouth today, when he pleaded guilty to the theft of £lB4 16s Bd, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. . Messrs E. O. Henry and G. H. S. Fder, J.P.’s, were on the bench, and the prosecution was conducted by Detective-Sergeant N. Thompson. Mr W. D. Taylor appeared for the accused'. The Conservator of Forests at Hokitika, Robert Barrie Collett, said that the accused had been in the employ of the State Forest Service for 25 years, and in April, 1941, he was appointed a ranger (fourth grade). In April, 19'46, he was appointed m charge of the northern district with headquarters at Ahaura. Witness detailed the procedure for the receipt for royalties. As the result of inquiries it was ascertained that the accused had been collecting royalties and, not forwarding. them to head office. Inquiries showed that he had collected moneys from J. E. Blackmore (Nelson Creek), A. F. Lemon (Bell Hill), W.'S. Campbell, F. J. Campbell (Ngahere), Blackball Sports Club, A. Johns, E. Sheedy, R. F. Shrives, F. Fletcher, and C. Goodyer, the total amount not accounted for totalling £lB4 16s Bd. Accused’s Admission

On August 18 last, witness visited the accused -at Ahaura and he then admitted that he had collected certain amounts and had failed to account. He produced £55 3s lOd, but that was not portion of the £lB4 16s 8d not apcounted for. The accused had no' authority to retain any money. In his office the witness found copies of delivery notes showing that he had received moneys from the people already named and had failed to account. In regard to a man named W. Fletcher, at Blackball, the head office had no knowledge of his cutting timber from June, 1946, onwards, until he made a fresh application for a new permit in the same locality. In answer to Mr Taylor, witness said that he had known the accused for about two years. He had found his general field work was average, his only failure being his neglect to reply to correspondence. The witness could understand that failure better now. The accused’s job involved his being away from home' for short periods. The assessment of royalty was made on a count of the pieces cut by the operator, on the roadside, and it would be there that the money was paid to him. Detective-Sergeant N. Tnompsqn said that on September 15 last m company with Detective Constable, he interviewed the accused and he made a statement regarding the matter (produced). I Statement to Police In this statement the accused said that he resided with his family ol six children at Ahaura. His salaiy was £460 a year and he had found that while travelling around he had been unable to keep his home going. He had borrowed money from that received by him on behalf of the department and.as a result had got into difficulties. He had made inquiries'" relative to withdrawing his superannuation to pay back,the monevs and, if he had been given the opportunity, could have made good the deficiency. In reply to a question by Mr Taylor, the detective-sergeant said that the accused had been quite frank. The evidence of the previous witness was corroborated by Detective B. H. Constable. The accused pleaded guilty to the charge and was committed to the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Greymouth, on November 24, for sentence. Bail was renewed in his own recognisance of £lOO and one surety of £lOO.