COURTS AND OFFENCES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 17 August 1929, Page 8

COURTS AND OFFENCES.

ALLEGED THEFT. NAPIER, August 14. In the Supreme Court to-day Timothy John Daly and Frank Chapman were charged that on or before July 14 at Wairoa they stole £SO from the person of John Connor, camp cook. Chapman was further charged noth receiving from Daly £ll knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Daly pleaded guilty hut in evidence, in the case of Chapman, who pleaded not guilty, swore that the latter had nothing to do with the theft. He had given Chapman £ll because the latter oeeedd it, Daly isaying lie won it at- horse racing. Connor struck Wairoa with £64 and began drinking heavily. He became so dazed' that' he knew no more, till he was set down at his camp by Daly and Chapman from a taxi. When he woke be had only a few shillings. The jury found Chapman not guilty of theft but guilty of receiving stolen money with recommendations to mercy on the grounds that the jury believed Chapman was under Daly’s influence. Both were remanded for sentence. CHARGES OF THEFT. AUCKLAND, August 15. In the Police Court two Government officials, serving in different departments. were charged with theft. Harold Janies Henry Smith, aged 38. a postal clerk, pleaded guilty to stealing a letter containing four one pound notes and a postal note for five shillings, and on August S a postal packet containing £2 10s in money. In a statement to the police accused attributed his lapse to a ;sndden temptation prompted by having some bouse bills to pay. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail being allowed.

A mail, a 17. employed as a clerk by tbc Railway Department (whose name was suppressed), was charged with stealing £l6B from a booking office.

Accused', who pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to the Supreme Court, for trial. Bail was allowed on his own surety of £2OO and one of £2OO.

ALLEGED FAILURE TO ACCOUNT. NAPIER, August Id. The alleged failure of Peter Francis Wilkie, while acting as a motor truck salesman for Bate and Bell, Ltd.. Napier, to account for a. portion of the proceeds of a sale of posts and strainers, which allegedly should have gone to reduce the indebtedness of a Maori elient of the firm, resulted iu his being charged in the Supreme. Court this morning with the theft of £557 10s.

The charge against Wilkie, for whom Mr. 11. F. O’Leary, of Wellington. appeared, was that on or about July 1. 1028. at Or,nonin, and on various dates between July 1, 1028. and' February 27, 1929, he did receive from Pouipi Chase 9647 posts and 130 strainers of the total value of £837 10s on terms requiring him to account for their proceeds to his employers. Bute and Bell. Ltd., and did fraudulently omit to account for £557 10s of that amount. Chase’s indebtedness to Bate and Bell was on account of a motor lorry purchased under the hire purchase system.

The hearing of evidence for the prosecution occupied all day. The defence will he heard to-morrow, following which there are, several other charges of a. similar nature to lie preferred against Wilkie.