POSTAL EMPLOYEE'S LAPSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21289, 16 September 1932, Page 14

POSTAL EMPLOYEE'S LAPSE

SMALL AMOUNT STOLEN PROBATION FOR A YEAR [FROM OUR OWN COR RESTON DENT ] HAMILTON, Thursday A former Postal Department employee, Alfred Long, aged 31, appeared before Mr. Justice Smith in the Hamilton Supreme Court to-day for sentence on a charge of stealing £3 5s 3jd as a public servant at Te Aroha. Counsel said that accused had had 14 years' service in the Postal Department and bad held honourable positions. He had handled hundreds of pounds weekly, and the only defalcation was the £3 5s 3£d he had received as toil fees. 'J hrough carelessness and muddling shortages had occurred in his general account and he had taken money from the toll account, to make up tjiesp shortages. Counsel produced a medical certificate showing that accused had suffered for lo months from nervous debility. His who had been ill, and he had been worried on this account. Wherever lie had been he hud been held in the highest respect. His Honor said that theft as 21 jiuL>l!«• servant was a serious offence, although in this case the amount taken was small. The postmaster had stated that, he did not regard accused as a thief, but as a muddler. The offence seemed inexplicable, but there seemed to be good grounds for the medical certificate. Accused was admitted to probation for a year.