CHARGE OF FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16010, 31 August 1915, Page 5

CHARGE OF FRAUD.

ROAD BOARD CLERK

DEFICIENCY IN ACCOUNTS.

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. j

, Ay elderly man, named John Phillips, j appeared before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M.. j in the Police Court yesterday, in answer ; ! to a charge that between August 1. 1914, ! : and August 16, 1915, being a servant of-. i the Point Chevalier Road Board. !,e re- ■ ceived divers sums of' money, amounting , to £262 19s 6d, requiring him to account ; I for the same to the said Road Board, and | that bo did fraudulently omit to do so. 1 | Chief-Detective McMahon prosecuted on j | behalf of the police, and Mr. W. R. I ! McConnell appeared for the accused. j I Thomas Dignan, a settler residing at j j Point Chevalier, and chairman of the j j Point Chevalier Road Board, gave evi- ' j deuce that the accused had been acting in I . the capacity of clerk to the board for over | ! two years. For some months he was I | classed as acting-clerk, and on June 11, j 1914, he was appointed clerk. His salary j was £2 10s per week. Accused wits also j . permitted to do outside work. His duties ', consisted of collecting rates and all moneys ! ■ due to the board, and to account for these j ; sums to the board. He had no authority I ! to use the moneys collected in any way. j ! The accused was not allowed travelling ; expenses. Witness had no occasion to I j speak to him about his accounts. The | , accused was a married man with three ! children. j To Mr. McConnell : Since the defalcations were discovered the accused gave every assistance to the auditor. there I were many things in which the board would like the assistance of the accused. Audit Inspector's Evidence. Cyril George Collins, Government audit inspector, said he visited the Point Chevalier Road Board's office early this! month, and found that the books' were i not written up. The accused said he ' , would have them early on the following | ' ; Saturday morning. The accused failed to i ■ ! put in an appearance on the Saturday. I On the following Monday, witness received ' ' a letter, in which accused said he would i ' bring the books in on Tuesday. hen I ; the books arrived witness found a difference between tiie cash received and the i 1 cash banked of £202 13s lid. Witness ! asked the accused the reason of this, and | * the accused stated that ho was short to 1 I the extent of £260. When the books |

i were examined with the accused's assist- j ance the accused said he had received . amounts for which he had not issued receipts. The deficiencies totalled £262 19s ! ! 6d. Accused gave witness every assist- j I ance. He stated that he had been on 1 I two or three drinking bouts, and that his I | salary was inadequate. He had also to ] j pay travelling expenses between Point I Chevalier and Auckland. Books Not Tampered With. To Mr. McConnell : The accused had l not tampered with the l>ooks in any way. | To Chief-Detective McMahon : the ac- j cused was absolutely square on July 31 I 1914. * ' ; Detective-Sergeant Hollis deposed that on August 23, he read the charge over - to the accused, who said it was correct. He gave the police every assistance. Mr. McConnell, on behalf of the accused, pleaded guilty. -Detective McMahon said the accused had been before the Court before on charges of drunkenness, and of breaking his prohibition order. The accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in one surety of £300, or two of £150 each.