FAILURE TO ACCOUNT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22086, 16 April 1935, Page 12

FAILURE TO ACCOUNT

BAND TREASURER IN COURT ADMITTED TO PROBATION Two charges of fraudulently omitting to account for moneys received by him as treasurer of the 3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles Band and thereby committing theft, were admitted by Ernest Michael Woodhead, aged 24, described as a publisher, in tho Otahuhu Police Court yesterday. The charges alleged that on February 21 he had received £3 as band funds and that on dates between November 16, 1934, and March 20 ho had received divers sums totalling £l9 13s 2d. Sergeant J. Cahill said accused had been treasurer of the band at Otahuhu. When he left the town recently the band officials found that the moneys had not been deposited in tho bank as required. A warrant had been taken out, and accused was arrested at Whakatane and brought to Otahuhu in custody.

Counsel said accused had received the money and put it with his own, and when accused had left the district hurriedly the band officials had become alarmed and reported the matter to the police. Accused, however, had written to the band regarding the matter and had expressed his intention of visiting Otahuhu at an early date, when the matter would be cleared up. In those last few weeks accused had been under considerable stress. The money had since been paid to the band and the officials were anxious that the matter should not be viewed too seriously. Counsel asked for leniency. Ho felt the matter would bo a lesson to accused.

The presiding justices of the peace, Messrs. R. 'l3. Todd and C. R. Petrie, decided to admit accused to prohation for 12 months. A request for suppression of name was refused.