"VERY CLEVER FRAUD."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 13

"VERY CLEVER FRAUD."

MONEY ORDER TELEGRAMS. TWO YOUNG MEN CONCERNED. CRIME FOUR YEARS OLD. What was described as "a very clever fraud," carried out at the expense of the Telegrapi Department four years ago, had a sequel in the Supieme Court yesterday, when two young men concerned in the frauds came up for sentence. The prisoners were Leslie Ward (Mr Fleming) and Hilton Richard Stanley, who had pleaded guilt.y to charges of forging tour monev-ordei telegrams involving £135. Mr. Fleming said when tho offences were committed in 1923 Ward was a carpenter 'l9 years ol age, and Stanley was a telegraphist in the employ of the Telegraph Department. Ward had had the advantage ol an excellent upbringing and his early youth was exemplary. The two had been friends at school and met afterwards

This somewhat ingenious crime could never have originated in the brain of Ward because he had not the necessary knowledge ol the inner workings of the department, said counsel He succumbed to the temptation when he was assured that the money could be obtained without any possible fear of detection. As a matter of fact, had it not been for a chance coincidence the fraud would never have been discovered.

In the end Ward's early training triumphed. He turned his back on the temptation and left for England. He married happily and had a child. Nine months ago he returned to this country intending to bring his wife and child later tie obtained good employment and was earning in the vicinity of £8 a week. His employers, with full knowledge, were prepared to take him back. He desired to restore the money he had wrongfully taken

Mr. Meredith, Crown Prosocutor, said it appeared that at the time tho boy Ward did this he was scarcely possessed of the full and riper judgment that would have made him definitely responsible for what he did. He was certainly under tho influence of the other man. It was only the knowledge of the other man that made the thing possible. It might be in Ward's own and in the public interest to give him an opportunity to get over this difficulty.

His Honor said that in Ward's case he thought probation should be granted. It appeared Ward had struggled against the temptation for some time before he fell. There was nothing against him since he went to England and there were the best reports about his character. He should repay £67 10s, half the money taken, and the costs of prosecution. He would be admitted to probation for three years on condition that he repaid that money under direction of the probation officer.

Stanley's case was no doubt a bad one, said the Judge. He occupied a responsible position of trust and took advantage of his knowledge of tho office to work this fraud. He was glad to see Stanley made a statement entirely exculpating Ward, Knit that did not alter the fact that he Had committed a very clever fraud on the Jfostal Department. Ho would be sentenced to two years' reformative detention.