RELIEF FUNDS STOLEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20024, 14 August 1928, Page 11

RELIEF FUNDS STOLEN.

UNEMPLOYED MEN SUFFER. THEFT BY FORMER LEADER. [Br TELEGRAPH.—COBBESPONDENTjf CHEISTCHURCH. M.onday. When Arthur Leonard Fisher, former leader of the Christchurch unemployed, appeared on remand in the Police Court to-day before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., on a charge of the theft of £l6 15s 8d from the unemployed organisation, he altered his previous plea to one of guilty. Chief-detective Carroll said accused had failed to account for amounts received from the sale of concert tickets and admitted putting the money to his own use. He was given a chance to pay before the matter was reported to the police, but did not do so. He had no previous criminal record, although he was known to the police. His theft had cost the unemployed organisation three times as much as the amount, as all the money it raised was subsidised. Mr. M. J. Burns, for accused, asked . for leniency on account of the slackness of the system employed in recording the tickets v issued and checking the money. He gave an assurance that the money would be repaid. Accused had work to go to. "With the genuine unemployed one must sympathise sincerely," 6aid the magistrate, "but with men of this type I cannot have any sympathy at all. _ No doubt the public estimate m their minds the type of man who has lrsen leading the unemploved, and undoubtedly that causes a good deal of want of with the unemployed to-day." The magistrate commented on the fact that the accused had been married only for about two months, and said it seemed to him that for a man who had no money and no work to get married was only adding fuel to the fire. Accused was fined £lO and ordered to repay the £l6 15s Bd, in default sis weeks'imprisonment.