TWO YEARS TOE THEFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18498, 7 September 1923, Page 9

TWO YEARS TOE THEFT.

funds of JOCKEY - club.

•GRANVILLE HUNT PUNISHED.

MANY PUBLIC POSITIONS.

[EI TELi.O RAI'H.-- OWN ;• COURESI-ONDENT. ; .v HAMILTON. Thursday. , A -known " resident'. of Rotorua, Granvjlie Hunt (Mr, 'j ompkin.s), was. sentenced to two years' imprisonment by Mr. Justice Stringer in . the Hamilton Supremo Court to-day on two charges of theft. ." • • . •:

. On tuo first charge, .that of converting £16 of the Dodson lteiief Fund to his own use, . which was heard yesterday, accused was found guilty. He pleaded guilty to-' day :to a charge of obtaining ■ £120 from Jesse Tanner by falsciy pretending that the money was' required ior the ltotbiua Auctioneering Company. ■ "Ihe; Crown Solicitor said he would apply for .a -stay.. of proceedings with respect to two other, minor charges. Mr. Tompkins said that Hunt had used £120 of the Rotorua Jockcy Club's funds to pay accounts duo by the Rotorua. Auctioneering Company. " Ho obtained the money - which was the subject of the charge to re-imburse the Jockey Club. Hunt had been in trouble before, but during the last seven years, while ho had been at Rotorua, he had lived the life of, a good citizen. He was president of the Rugby Union, and secretary of the A. and P. Society, the Bowling Club, and the Jockey Club. - He was,also secretary; of several > funds. The Rotorua people knew well that he had had previous convictions against him, but they reposed every - confidence in him. Business .worries overcame him, and lie neglected his . business. It was unfortunate that he took on so manv public duties, which meant that he associated closely with men who had moro means than he had.

The. Crown Solicitor said prisoner had Deen convicted on several charges of forgery i and false pretences since 1912. His Honor said that, while it was very probable fc that tho prisoner had been •placed in a position exposed to temptation, still, the fact that the people - had trusted him should • have given him a sense of responsibility, and should have caused him to exercise, restraint acamst tailing , into temptation. In ordinary circumstances. in view of prisoner's pa'st- record. His Honor said he would .have imposed a very, substantial term of imprisonment-, but he would take into ,con"deration that during the last, seven years t had a record of jrood citizenship, x nsoner would be sentenced to two vears' imprisonment.