BANK OFFICER'S LAPSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17844, 27 July 1921, Page 8

BANK OFFICER'S LAPSE.

O EMBEZZLEMENT OF £622. TRUST BETRAYED AFTER 17 YEARS Having pleaded guilty to the theft of three sums, totalling £622, the property of the Union Bank of Australia, Ltd., Nelson, Trevor Burwood Cargill appeared beforo His Honor Mr. Justice Sim (Act-ing-Chief Justice) in Wellington on Friday to bo sentenced. Mr. W. Ferry, who appeared for the prisoner, said lie was a married man, 62 years, of age, and had been in the employ of the bank for seventeen years, with the exception of a. period between January, 1915, and Juno, 1917, when he was at the war. He took the money over a period of nine months in three sums—hi October, November, and Juno. f "I am instructed," said counsel, "that tho prisoner does not gamble, and that he has no vices of any description." His Honor: Where is the money, then? Mr. Perry: During the last two or three months he has been drinking heavily, and that accounts for— His Honor: Would that account for £600? Counsel: He has been living at tho rate- of £600 a year, on an income of £3CO. His previous character is absolutely good; there is no blemish on his reputation during seventeen years with the bank. I desire to call Your Honor's attention to the depositions in the lower Court, in which Dr. Lucas states that during the last twelve or eighteen months he has baen unduly "nervy" or excitable over matters, and that may bo the result of his war service. There is the affidavit of Mr. Spiers, in which he refers to a certain incident, and says his temperament has not been normal for tho past few months. Appealing for the clemency of the Court for 1 the prisoner, counsel said ho gave every assistance when matters were discovered, and pleaded guilty. A man of his' position in the bank for 17 years had had to keep up ascertain standing; Ho had Buffered keenly, no doubt, during the past fow months. "His lifa has been wrecked, and I submit, taking "into consideration the affidavit of Mr. Spiers and the evidence of Dr. Lucas, that the ends of justice maybe met, not by imprisonment with hard labour, but by a term of reformative treatment, so that the Prisons Board might ascertain his state of mind, and whether there is any possibility of his agfl'T! becoming normal." His Honor, addressing the prisoner, said : You occupied a position of trust, and betrayed it by stealing-your employer's money. I have no alternative but to sentence you to two years' hard labour on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.