NOT GUILTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10738, 8 November 1928, Page 6

NOT GUILTY.

ALLEGED THEFT OF BUILDING SOCIETY MONEY. . SECRETARY ACQUITTED JUDGE COMMENTS ON ' AUDITING METHODS. • ipress Association.) ■ AUCKLAND, Nov. ',\ A verdict of.not guilty was returned: by the jury at the .trial of Frederick William -Webster,.- charged with the theft of £1498 from the Whangarei Co-operative .Building Society, of which he was secretary. ' Mr Justice Blair, ■ summing vp, said it was necessary for the Crown to' ghow that accused received ' the money, that ho appropriated anil that that appropriation was fraudulent. As far as the Crown base war concerned, there were some element? of . doubt as to the precise sum that could: he shown to have been received by .accused at certain stages. The books did not show , the actual amount • received. There had been very slipshod methods of carrying on the Society’s business, and so. it was very 1 difficult for the jury to say what amounts had been received; The confusion that had arisen was not of accused’s making. When the auditor, Mr Rust. wa« asked why ho had himself purchased a ledger and journal, liis answer was “Because it pleased me to do su ” Mr Rue*- ban not been so frank either with the directors or with the Court as one would expect. He' apparently, had connived at the method adonted bv the accused of failing to synchronise tlie bank payments and receipts. He had put down the "balance ih a way that amounted to blinding the directors to the position. He allowed books to be prepared' in a way .that would make it, impossible for anybody to check the receipts with tho bankings. The jury’s verdict of acquittal was returned after an absence of four hours.-