FOUR YEARS’ GAOL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 2 November 1921, Page 7

FOUR YEARS’ GAOL

SEQUEL TO A SE.N'SATIO.VAL BANKRUPTCY

OHRISTOirridCH. Oct

“I would lie failing in rny duty to the public if I did not impose a .sentence which would murk the prisoner’s conduct as a serious offence.’’ said Mr

.rustier Adams ill the -.Supreme Court to-flav. iii sentencing William .Allan Hopkins, land agent. to four years' imprisonment, with hard labour, on four charges-* two of theft and two of failing to account.

Air F. W. Johnston, counsel for the defence, said that when Hopkins first took" the money he hod really no intent, to deprive any one and at the time lie .fill'd as a bankrupt ins health was such tii,'it bo bad surrendered to the authorities at Sunnyside Mental Hospital, fie was a. voluntary patient, at this institution for three mouths. and subsequently he wont to Wellington, where lie stayed with relatives. Prisoner was 63 years of ago and had been aged in appearance by Ids troubles. In a recent case in the North Island probation ban been extended to a civil servant who had been guilty of systematic thefts from tbo trovornmont, and counsel asked for a similar act of elemenev.

”11 is true that the prisoner is an old man and in a laid state of health, bin 1. regret to say that neither in the actual offences nor in Ids business system is (here anything to urge in mitigation," said Mr A. T. Donnelly, the (VoWu Prosecutor. Prisoner’s bankrupt estate would probably realise from 6s to 7s in the if. According in Hie slatewent of the Ollieinl Assignee the. total defalcations amounted to £22,000, and a large, number of the people affected were in poor circumstances and wore old men or women. The ditllcullies faced by the accused wore not so much duo to liis optimism, but to his persistently dishonest temperament. Prisoners books were kept in such a way as not to disclose Ids true position, and a large number of persons had been ruined by Hopkins. .Mr-Johnston pointed nut Hint several persons concerned were hard-headed business men.

Mr Donnelly replied there were several stK'l i instil rices, but, his remarks were, ini-ended *o be general. The defalcnl ions extent led, so Tar .Ts was known, over the past ten years. llis Honour said it. was a painful case, hut the circumstances brought forward by the defence did not in any way mitigate the seriousness of the. crime. Approximately £20,000 Had been taken from persons who could HJ. afford the loss.

His Honour added that be was not. going to lake into consideration the question of flic prisoner’s health; that was a matter for the Prisons Board What lie had to deal with was the question of a man in business, apparently of good reputation, who, by Hus reputation, had been able do obtain money from persons unable to bear the losses.

'f’he prisoner was .sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, with hard labour, on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent,