GIFT OF THREE SHIRTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22866, 22 October 1937, Page 14

GIFT OF THREE SHIRTS

KEEPING CLIENT'S CUSTOM SALESMAN ON THEFT CHARGE [by TELEGRAPH —own corutF.spoxdent] ROTOKUA, Thursday The defence that lie had made a gift of three shirts to a regular customer of the firm in good faith, so as to retain the client's custom, was entered by Victor M. White, described .as a salesman, but now employed at a sawmill in the Rotorua district, when ho was charged before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., with the theft of goods valued at £1 6s 9d from Mackv, Logan and Caldwell, Auckland, while in their employ. Senior-Sergeant E. J. Carroll stated that White, who had been in the employ of the firm for about 20 years, was observed by the manager to serve a customer with three shirts and a pair of socks, but the sale docket disclosed only the sale of the pair of socks. Mr. R. A. Potter, for White, said accused had pleaded guilty against legal advice in order to have the matter cleared up. Frequently other departmental managers senior to him would instruct him to give away goods to good customers of the firm, and he thought he was justified in doing the same. Counsel asked that the case should bo dealt with under the First Offenders Probation Act, and that White's name should bo suppressed. The magistrate said that he was not prepared to altogether accept defendant's story. He would bo convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called upon and to make restitution of the value of the goods. Suppression of tho name was refused.