THEFTS BY A NURSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18117, 15 June 1922, Page 9

THEFTS BY A NURSE.

ARTICLES FROM HOSPITAL. LONG SERIES OF OFFENCES. WOMAN ADMITS RECEIVING. An unusual case was heard in the Police Court yesterday before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., when a nurse in charge of a ward at the Auckland H spital admitted having stolen a quantity of meat, butter, eggs, jelly, crockery, tea towels, and flannellette, the property of the Hospital Board, and another woman admitted having received the property. The nurse, Maggie Annie Ethel Crozier, was charged with having stolen a quantity of flannel!-• ette, Talued at £1 ss; cups, saucers, plates, and glass tumblers, valued at £4; a dozen arid a-half eggs and one dozen packete of jelly, valued at 8s; on various dates a quantity of tea towels, meat, butter, jellies, and eggs, valued at £11; and a piece of roast beef, valued at 2s 6d. The first offence was committed about June 14, 1921, and the last on Tuesday. Mrs. Harriett Mary Ashton was charged with receiving tho goods, well knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Mr. A. Moody appeared for both accused. •Detective Meiklejohn stated that in consequence of complaints from the Hospital Board he kept Sister Crozier under observation and eaw her taking parcels away from the hospital. He accosted her on Tuesday afternoon as she was leaving the hospital with a parcel under her arm. The parcel contained a hot joint of meat. In a statement made later accused said she had been sister in charge of ward 11 for some years. For about 18 months she had been in the habit of taking meat left over from the ward to Mrs. Ashton. She also admitted taking the other articles. About 12 months ago she took about ten yards of flannellette. Mrs. Ashton admitted having received the goods. She received abouft a pound of butter a week. At times the meat was wrapped in tea towels, which she kept. She knew the articles were stolen. She had also received linen, which had been made up into aprons which she shared with Mies Crozier. She received her share of the flannellette. H. A. Somerville, secretary to the board, said Nurse Croeier had been at the hospital for a number of years. She was receiving £150 a year and board. Supplies had been missed from the hospital for about four years. Some time ago the board received anonymous letters to the effect that accused was making unauthorised use of hospital supplies, but had been unable to confirm this. , , ~, In pleading that tho case be met with a fine, counsel said the nurse had been ill for two years and would now lose her employment, after many years, in circumstances of public disgrace, which would operate against her chances of obtaining other employment. She had not. received one penny for the goods. She had been ill for two years, and at the present time was in ill-health. Counsel said that Mrs. Ashton was in ill-health. She suffered from heart trouble and imprisonment, coupled with her present disgrace, would probably have a serious effect on her. Counsel respectfully asked for a fine, submitting that the disgrace would be heavy enough punishment. Mr. Poynton said he did not think it was a case for either a fine or probation. If ho did not send them to prison in a case like this, imprisonment for theft might as well be abolished. These were disgraceful thefts. He did not consider th women deserved any consideration. Accused were each sentenced to one month's imprisonment. In the case of Mrs. Ashton the warrant was suspended for a few days.