R.S.A. Accountant Charged With Theft

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7196, 30 June 1933, Page 7

R.S.A. Accountant Charged With Theft

SUFFERING FROM NERVOUS BREAKDOWN Per Press Association AUCKLAND, Last Night. A former employee of tho Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, Sydney James Smith, aged 42, a clerk, pleaded guilty when charged in the Police Court with stealing three sums amounting to £l2 18s 4d, the property of the association, and two further sums totalling £4 6s Bd, the property of a war pensioner. Deteetive-SeTgeant O’Sullivan said until last month accused had been employed by the association as accountant at. a salary of £4 per week. For a short period he was acting-secretary at a weekly salary of £5. On three different days last month ho stole money belonging to tho association concerned and money collected by the accused on behalf of a war pensioner. In asking for leniency Mr Aekins said recently accused was wrongfully held to be responsible for the loss of one of the association’s books and was suspended. This worried him, as he had been a loyal servant. Ho later suffered a nervous breakdown and was In hospital. It was while he was in this state of muddlo that the offences were committed.

The Magistrate (Mr Hunt) admitted accused to probation for twelve months and ordered him to make restitution.