POST OFFICE THEFTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21296, 24 September 1932, Page 13

POST OFFICE THEFTS

COUNTRY STORE EMPLOYEE COMMENTS EIY MAGISTRATE UNUSUAL FEATURES OF CASE ACCUSED GRANTED PROBATION [from our own correspondent] WHANGAREI, Friday A plea of guilty was entered in the Whangarei Police Court to-day by George Montgomery, aged 34, of Tangiteroria, to 19 charges of failing to account to the Postmaster-General, thereby committing theft of the sum of £9B, J. A. Murphy, accountant, of Whangarei, stated in evidence that he was accountant for Lowe and Company, storekeepers, of Tangiteroria, in whose store the post office was situated. Accused was book-keeper for the store and some time ago witness discovered a shortage in the store cash. Witness asked accused to account for the amount, which was £llO. Accused admitted getting into difficulties, that he had been drinking a good deal and had taken the money. Accused was then getting £4 weekly, which was later reduced to £3 7s 6d.

Continuing, witness said that Lowe and Company did not discharge accused as he had been a good servant otherwise,' but asked him to make restitution at the rate of £2 weekly, and this amount was paid for a period of 40 weeks. Witness knew nothing about the post office shortage. Accused had given witness jevery assistance in clearing the matter ujp. Post Office In Muddled State

Robert Innes Allen, post office inspector, said he inspected the Tangiteroria post office after accused had been dismissed for shortage in accounts. The amount of shortage was then £74, but accused later admitted another £24. Accused was not a salaried officer although he had signed a declaration. The post office was in a muddled state. The Magistrate, Mr. G. N.- Morris: How often are these country post offices inspected ? Witness: They are audited once every year. Mr. Morris: There have been a fair number of these cases in the North, some of them as regards Maori girls -in post offices. - . Witness: 1 think once a year sufficient. If there are any suspicious circumstance! in the returns, an inspection would be made immediately, of course. "Left with only 2s 6d a Week " Detective-Sergeant Robertson stated in evidence that he obtained a statement from accused that about 12 months ago . he began taking small amounts. He was then a single in in. He got married about six months ago. After making restitution at the rate of £2 weekly to the store he had only £1 7s 6d weekly and was paying board at the rate of £1 ss, which left him with only 2s 6d per week. He was still drinking a little and was converting to his own use a large number of unemployment levies, telephone rentals, bureaux fees and a number of savings bank deposits. Witness said that accused had given every assistance to the police and nothing previously was known against him. "The case can be placed outside the ordinary category of crime," said counsel, "and is an illustration of the maxim that crime leads to crime. Accused was only drawing 27s 6d, and after paying board had 2s J>d, on which it was impossible to liva.'Accused was not only store book-keeper and postal but had to keep books of half the farmers in the district in his capacity as postal official, which was too much for one man. I contend the store was badly lacking in supervision from the Post Office authorities during the past 12 months." "Had Far Too Much Power" Detective-Sergeant Robertson: These 1 places would be without a post office if the storekeepers did not co-operate. Mr. > Lowe, of Lowe and Company, was sworn ' in as postmaster and accused was his em- ! ployee. I Mr. Morris: Accused was not even a I postal officer and he seems to have had I far too much power. > Counsel: Accused is a very studious f man and has sper.t over £IOO in corres- ' pondence school courses, and I seriously i ask for a term of probation. Accused is 1 quite willing to take out a prohibition order, and he has not had drink for three ■ months.

Detective-Sergeant Robertson _ said accused's character in Tangiteroria was a very good one," and his drinking had not been obvious to the people there. The police were not opposed to probation. "It seems fairly obvious to me that the reason for this series of offences is found in the fact that his employer, on finding a shortage ii) his own cash, cut down his wages to an impossible amount," said the magistrate, "but I am making no comment on that feature. His employer still left him in control of all the hooka of the store and the post office, and he should have known that with such a salary it would be impossible for accused to carry on, and in consequence the employer is not entirely guiltless. He should have foreseen the accused would be tempted. Other Features ot Case "Strangely, thef'e is no evidence that accused was extravagent in any vray as the people seemed to trust him. A peculiar feature is that accused seems to have been trying to improve his position by taking up correspondence school courses. I am prepared to give him a chance, although I do not wish to minimise the seriousness of the offences."

Accused was admitted to probation for two years, and ordered to take out a prohibition order for the period. Restitution was fixed at £24, which was £1 a month for the period. The magistrate said that if accused was unable to get reasonable employment the amount would be reconsidered later. He was ordered to pay the cost of the prosecution, 30s 6d. Addressing accused, Mr. Morris said: "I could quite easily have sent you to prison, so see you do not let me down. If you do I will know it is a case of misplaced leniency."