CHARGE OF THEFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22608, 22 December 1936, Page 14

CHARGE OF THEFT

'£47o INVOLVED CASE AGAINST CLERK ALLEGED ADMISSIONS BETTING TRANSACTIONS 1 [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Monday A clerk, Leslie John Weal, aged .35, married, of Hamilton, appeared in the Hamilton Police Court to-day charged with the theft of £169 IHs lid, the properly of his employers, .1. J. Craig, Limited. Mr. E. iJ. Stewart appeared for accused. Evidence was fclven by Christopher Vernon Nieklin, manager of tho Hamilton branch of J. J. Craig, Limited, that accused had been employed at the Haimilton office since September, 1935, aiv a clerk. He received £3 10s a wdek in wages. Accused's duties included tho receiving of cash and the banking of it. An Objection Upheld Witness said that oil December 4 last he learned that tfre firm's account was overdrawn at tho bank and that there was a shortage. The books were audited on December (5 and on December 8 accused said bo had misappropriated £469 19s lid. Witness declined to disclose tho firm's turnover, and was uphold in his objection by the magistrate. Ho said that the wages accused received, £.3 10s a week, were moro than he had asked for. Courtael: Do you think 4 that that was a prop<*r wage— The Magistrate, to witness: You need not answer that. William Aubrey Smith, public accountant, Hamilton, said ho audited the Hamilton books of J. J. Craig, Limited. The ledgers wero kept in Auckland. The last audit was carried out on October 22, when tho cash was balanced and everything appeared to be in order. The audit made on December 8, together with admissions made by accused, showed that £469 19s lid was unaccounted for. Detective Produces Statement Money had been misappropriated and cheques had been banked for which no receipts had been issued, said witness. Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson produced a statement signed by accused in which the latter admitted the thefts. He said that from May 1 last lie took sums of about £2O each and had spent the money on backing horses in various parts of New Zealand. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Hamilton for trial. Bail was allowed.