POSTAL CLERK’S LAPSE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 March 1928, Page 9

POSTAL CLERK’S LAPSE.

THEFT OF MONEY ADMITTED. (BY TEL ERR a pit—ip RRHS ASSOCIATION 1 WELLINGTON, March 14. A post oflice cadet, named Charles William Matthews, aged 18 years, pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court to-day to stealing a canvas bag containing £I4OO in £1 notes on Monday. William Arthur Melrose, a clerk at the Post Office, stated that on Monday morning ho handed the accused the registered mail, -which that day had arrived from Rarotonga, including a bag containing a remittance from the postmaster there.

Charles Gamble, senior examiner in the accountants’ branch, said that the accused assisted in the search for the bag after it was found to he missing. The accused said he had left the bag on his desk the previous day. Detective McLennan said that the accused denied the theft, but later produced a parcel from a wardrobe at his home. The parcel contained £1386 17s 3id. The accused said ho had sent £lO to pay ad ebt and spent £3 8s B£d. The £lO had been recovered and the accused had signed an authority for the other amount to be taken out of wages due to him. The accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail, £2OO, being allowed. An order for the suppression of his name was refused.