POSTAL OFFICER’S LAPSE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6813, 17 January 1929, Page 2

POSTAL OFFICER’S LAPSE

BROADCASTING VALUELESS CHEQUES. Per Press Association. HAMILTON, Jan. 16. After 20 years’ service in the post and telegraph office at Wellington, William John Gillies, aged 36, left the department and soon afterwards toured the country in a car on the hire-pur-chase system and issued valueless cheques at several places. At the Magistrate's Court here to-day he appeared to answer nine charges of fraud as Katikati, Hikutaia, Helensville, Bombay, Takanini, Stratford, Okato, Auckland and Wcstmore, the total amount, being £27 15s. Counsel for the accused stated that he had left the postal service in the hope of bettering himself, taking a boot repairing business. He had had an accident to his head and had had a difference with his wife recently, but since his arrest he desired to make restitution to the people he had defrauded. Counsel asked for leniency, referring to accused’s good record in the postal-service and the expeditionary force. The Magistrate, Mr. Wilson, sentenced accused to one month’s imprisonment and two years’ probation conditional on restitution being made and total abstinence observed. He refused an application for suppression of accused’s name.