MONEYS OF HOSPITAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19792, 12 November 1927, Page 14

MONEYS OF HOSPITAL.

-ALLEGED THEFT BY MEMBER.

DISCLOSURES IN AUDIT.

OPUNAKE COTTAGE FUNDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW PLYMOUTH. Friday.

Twenty-four charges of theft of the Taranaki Hospital Board's funds, ranging in sums from £2B down to £l, over a period from February, 1924, to August, 1927, were preferred against Thomas Henry Herbert Sinclair, who appeared on remand, in tho Opunake Magistrate's Court to-dav.

Accused, who is a retired farmer, was a member of the Taranaki Hospital Board and acted as secretary for the Opunake Cottage Hospital Committee. He was repi'esented by Mr. P. O'Dea and Detective Meiklejohn prosecuted. The total discrepancy disclosed by an audit was £lB2 15s, while accused had made payments which left £46 12s Id unaccounted for.

Evidence was given by a large number of witnesses as to payment of fees to accused, who had issued receipts. It was stated that accused was generally regarded as a man of high integrity, and that he occupied various public positions and offices of trust.

Arthur E. Wiggins, formerly manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Opunake, said that the statement of his position which accused frequently gave him, showed a balance of assets over liabilities amounting to between £4OOO and £SOOO.

Government Auditor's Evidence. George Edward Alley, Government audit inspector at New Plymouth, gave lengthy evidence. He said an audit of the Taranaki Hospital Board's books was begun on July 14 last. It revealed that certain fee 3 shown as outstanding iiad been paid to Sinclair, and the moneys had not been accounted for to the board. Witness supplied a list of 26 accounts which had been paid but not accounted for. Sinclair was asked for his books and documents for audit purposes and forwarded only one receipt book. Failing the receipt of the others, tho auditor visited accused at Opunake, and accused. after a search, discovered the missing official receipt book, out of which two receipts had been issued, one for £lO 3s 6d which had been entered in the cash book as £9 14s, while the other was for kti lbs, which had not been accounted for.

Payments Made Into Bank. Accused advised witness that amounts had been received by him and that the board's official receipts bad not been issued for them. Witness asked accused for a statement, and on the same day as he sent one in he paid £lOl 10s 9d into the board's account at Opunake, representing fees previously unaccounted for to the board. This refund included most of the amounts first discovered to be missing. Later accused admitted having received further fees amounting to £lO 9s. which sum he paid into the board s ac count on the same day. Witness said accused was asked why he had issued unofficial receipts after receiving official forms for the purpose, and lie replied he thought there was money owing to him by the board, and he was waiting for the final squaring up. The total amount unaccounted for was £lio 2s. and after accused's payments he had still received the sum of £46 12s Id, of which there was no record. Corroborative evidence was given byEdward Thomas Holden, secretary of the board. , "We have a full and complete answer to the charges, and reserve our defence," said Mr. O'Dea, in entering a plea of not guilty. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court at New Plymouth for trial, bail being allowed as before, accused in own recognisance £IOO and two sureties of £IOO.