“PARTICULARLY MEAN”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 6 September 1935, Page 4

“PARTICULARLY MEAN”

CHARGES OF THEFT AGAINST EX-SECRETARY RELIEF WORKERS’ UNION TWO YEARS’ REFORMATIVE TREATMENT "It was a particularly mean theft” commented Mr T. E. Maunsell S.M. in sentencing Sidney George Hall, exsecretary of the Nelson Relief Workers’ Union to three months’ imprisonment and two years’ reformative treatment respectively on charges of failing to account for monies payable to the Relief Workers’ Union. Hall appeared charged with (1) on or about the 7th June the theft of 9s from the Relief Workers’ Union, (2) on the 28th July the theft of 7s, (3) that on the 20th June he received 10s from Waiter John Moffatt on terms requiring him to account for that amount to the Relief Workers’ Social Committee and (4) that he failed to account for £2 2s donated to the Union by Dr. D. Low. Accused, who was represented by Mr W. 0. Harley, elected to be dealt with summarily. Detective F. Sinclair conducted the case for the police. He explained that while secretary ox the Union from April until July Hall had failed to account for Union monies

Francis E. M. Boulton, accountant for Newman Bros., said he leashed Dr. Low’s cheque for defendant. The defendant said he wanted the money in a hurry as the Union wished to buy prizes for a euchre tournament and the cheque was the only money it had. Witness said that knowing defendant as the secretary of the Union he cashed the cheque. Walter John Moffatt said he knew Hall as he and Mr Goring came to him for a, subscription land had promised them 10s. One morning soon after he signalled Hall to stop in the street and handed him the 10s he had promised. Alexander G. Goring chairman of the Nelson Relief Workers’ Union which was formed last April, said he went with Hall to interview various people about the beginning of May. The hall used by the Union was rented from Newman Bros. He Was at the meeting when Hall was' asked to explain the balance sheet. Witness 'had asked defendant for 16s lid, which had not been accounted for. When Hall was asked if he had collected any money other than that in the statement'Hall said he had not. Mr Moffatt’s money was not shown on the statement. To Mr Harley witness explained that there had not been a bank account. There was so little in the fund that accused had kept the funds in his pocket. Henry M. Gibbs, now secretary of the Union said he took over the books from Hall on Bth. August. There was a credit balance showing but no funds. One night a sum of 9s was collected in the room .for expenses for an organiser, and 7s was collected for coal but the coal was not paid for. That 16s lid had never been received by the Union from Hall. Witness said he remembered the defendant telling the social committee that he had obtained. £2 2s from Dr. Low, but at the time the money was not paid over.

Leonard M. Gi;ay, secretary of the Union’s social committee said at a meeting on the 22nd June Hall had intimated that he had good news for the members as Dr. Low Hall made a donation of £2 2s. Hall explained that he could not pay the moiley over as he had met a man in town who was going to Wellington, and' had given him the £2 in liquidation of a debt, but Hall promised to pay it in on tiro. Monday Later when asked what he was going to do about it Hall said he bad returned the money to Dr. Low and witness reported the matter to a meeting. Some time later he met Hall in Mr Martin’s tobacconist shop and £2 of the amount was paid over. Matthew Cuthbert. chairman of the social committee, said on the 22nd June Hall said he had received £2 2s from Dr. Low and had used it in paying a debt to a friend who was going to Wellington, but promised ho would pay it on the next, Monday. One day Hall was approached about the 10s from Mr Moffatt and he said ho would pay it at a meeting that night, but he failed to do so. Hall showed on the Bth July in the books that he had paid for the coal, which had cost 7s, but at the time the amount was not paid. The 9s collected for the organiser’s expenses had not been paid over. The organiser was Mr Ormrod, of Wellington. Martin Forsyth gave evidence of supplying coal to the Relief Workers’ Union. It was paid for on the 29th August. Tlie receipt produced by defendant showed that the date had been altered to the 19th August. William Martin, hairdresser, said he remembered two relief workers calling at his shop to see Hall. Hall asked lnm for a loan of £2 and witness gave it to him. Hall did not say what it was for. Detective Sinclair said on the 17th August last he interviewed defendant. When asked about 10s received from

cto-ivcu. ttUULiu iuo jcv-civcu num Mr Moffatt, defendant had said that he put it into his pocket and had forgotten about it. *Askel about the further 16g Hd fie said fie must have used the money along with hie other cash. That concluded the case lor the prosecution. CASE FOR THE DEFENCE Mr Harley pointed out that the Union had no banking account and accused frequently paid accounts out of his own money. He then had to wait until members paid in enough for him to recoup those amounts. The looseness of the manner in which the business was run would be shown in defendant’s evidence. In regard to Mr Moffatt 6 money Hall would say lie forgot all about it. He took it on the street one busy morning and put it into his pocket. He had offered to pay in the money but they had refused it. In regard to the 9s collected for Ormrod’s expenses, Hall had paid 11s board for the organiser and had been given only 9s from the collection. The matter of Dr. Low’s cheque was the most serious. Hall did not conceal the fact, that it had been given to him. He had said he would .pay it, and eventually did so. There i was no intention of defrauding the Union. In evidence Hall said he had offered the 10s to Mr Goring but he would not take it. The coal had been paid for after lie was out of the secretaryship. When the organiser was over witness paid his board. 11s, out ot big pocket and kept the 9s against it. In regard to Dr. Low's cheque he told the committee about it. He usually paid accounts out of his own pocket getting the money back when subscriptions 1 came in. At one time the Union owed 'him £2 17s 6d. To Detective Sinclair accused admitted previous convictions for forgery and breaking and entering and theft. THE MAGISTRATE’S DECISION The Magistrate said it had been clearly proved that Hall was guiltv in respect to ‘'the charge concerning Hie i

donation by Mr Moffatt, and the position in regard to Dr. Low’s cheque was also unsatisfactory. He would be con\icttd on those two charges. ■ In senteneiYig accused to three months’ imprisonment on the former and reformative detention not exceeding two years’ on the latter his Worship commented that bv taking money from the Relief Workers’ Union accused had com. mitred a particularly mean theft.