A SECRET ARTS DEFALCATIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12238, 6 April 1903, Page 6

A SECRET ARTS DEFALCATIONS

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. William Miller Woodhead, secretary of the Taranaki Sawmillers' Association, was this morning brought up for sentence on several charges of misappropriation of the money of the association, totalling £1509, and also making false entries.' Mr. Skerrett, for accused, said there were weighty reasons why leniency should be shown. The acts were committed under pressure of circumstances, which, while they did not excuse, afforded some slight palliation. Before he went to Stratford, Woodhead had been unfortunate in business in Wellington and became bankrupt. lie had promised to pay his creditors in full, and the Court made an order against him to pay 5s in the £. His wife was then very ill and he had to leave her behind. Pressure was brought to bear upon him by the creditors and the official assignee to make payments, and then he commenced this series of embezzlements. He had pleaded guilty, and put the Crown to as little expense as possible, and had transferred all his property of some value to trustees in trust for the creditors, so that now he and his wife had not a sixpence in the world. • The prisoner's health had'absolutely broken clown. He had had an apoplectic seizure. and could not expect to live 'long. Mr. Skerrett urged that leniency would be in the best interests of justice. Mr. Justice Conolly said it was always a matter of regret to him when he had to deal with a man who had for a considerable time borne a good character, but he could not overlook the fact that in this case there had been persistent robbery of the employer extending over some three or four years out of the seven the prisoner had held the position. No sufficient reason whatever had been shown, and it was not a case for a lenient sentence. The sentence of the Court would be three years' imprison- | ment in the New Plymouth gaol on each of i the nine charges, the. sentences to be con- | current.