STAMP CLERK'S CRIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17942, 18 November 1921, Page 5

STAMP CLERK'S CRIME.

PLEA FOR PROBATION.

SIX MONTHS IN GAOL.

A WARNING TO OTHERS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NAPIER. Thursday. Considerable interest was taken in the case of Thomas Union Bristow, who appeared for sentence at the Supreme Court to-day on a charge that between the months of September and October, 1920, he did destroy 12 documents and steal £150, the property of the Government.

Mr. H. B. Lusk, who appeared for the accused, said he was a clerk in the stamp department of the Government offices in Napier, and was a married man with two children. His salary amounted to £350 per year. His superior officer, Mr. Johnstone, who had known the accused in Gisbornc, had stated that ho was a clerk of ability, assiduous in the discharge of his duties, and always bore a splendid character. Unfortunately for him there had been a great deal of sickness in the family, and his wife fell into ill-health, and was even now an inmate of the hospital, Considerable expense was thus occasioned in the provision of absolute necessities. Thore was no doubt that the fact of finding himself unable to provide for his family on his salary had caused tho accused to commit himself. He was a man without viee, neither gambling nor drinking, and the money taken had been entirely spent in providing for tho wants of tho family. The doctor who had been in attendance on the family had stated that illness in the family had preyod on the accused's mind to such an extent that he himself was now in a bad state of health, and was suffering from neurasthenia. He would suggest for theso reasons that tho case was not an ordinary one. His Honor pointed out that tho accused had made a denial as to taking certain stamps, and asked if tho accused still persisted in tho denial.

Mr. Lusk: Yes, absolutely. His Honor: Then there must have been someone else tampering with the stamps. In reply to this Mr. Lusk pointed out that there was not the slightest doubt but that someone else had been interfering. Several stamps had been cut out, either with scissors or a knife. The books were duly inspected by the public on the payment of a fee of Is. In his opinion the stamps were removed by people who made 3 hobby of stamp collecting. A number of documents had been missing for as far back as 1907. Since that time many clerks had passed through the department, and one had been convicted of dishonesty. The destruction of documents, a will, for example, was serious, but those destroyed by the accused were only transfers. The usual custom was to put them away in a safe, and they were rarely if ever referred to. There was practically no value attached to them. His Honor: They would not be preserved unless there was some value attached to them. No one knew when or what one would be needed, some perhaps for the establishment of the identity of a particular person. Continuing, Mr. Lusk asked His Honor if possible not to send the man to gaol. He was suffering under great mental strain.

His Honor said he could not see bow i that would be possible. Several cases of a similar nature had come before him of late, and the same plea had been extended in each. He was being asked to treat this case differently from the others. Mr. Lusk further added that a relative of the accused had signified his willingness to lend him sufficient, in addition to superannuation money, to pay back the money that had been taken. The Crown prosecutor added a few ■words as to the splendid character of the accused, who, ho said, had come of honourable stock. His Honor expressed regret at having to pass sentence on the accused, but the circumstances compelled him to do so. The accused had been a public servant, and had resorted to Jefrauding the public. His was not the first case that had come before His Honor. In others drink and gambling had been evident, but such was not so in this case, and this would make the sentence much lighter. He could not, however, overlook the case. To his mind the case had to go forth to others who ; were in the same position as the accused Ivmself, and to show them that acts of the kind meant imprisonment. The accused was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour.