A PREMIUM ON THEFT.

NZ Truth, Issue 142, 7 March 1908, Page 5

A PREMIUM ON THEFT.

THE VACUUM OIL CO. AGAIN! A Sordid Story of Stress and Sweat. Can a Man Live on Two Guineas a Week? An illustration of '* the . method whereby Rockefeller became a multimillionaire was given m Wellington Magistrate's Court recently, when a poor devil of a cashier -was indicted with the theft, at divers times, of ■sums, totalling £35 19s 6d. Ay pun a: man-named Henry George Hefeartv used, to handle upwards of-£35,000 a year for'the Vacuum Oil Co*y and to place him beyond temptation, he--was given the princely wage of £117 sod a week. Hegarty worked so conscientiously for the American boodler-lhat his screw was increased to £2 2s Gd a week at Chcistmas time, and. the grateful employee has ever since-been overcome with astonishment;' at the generosity of the ile shindykate. Existing on the wages of an. oflice/bov. Hegarty*was guilty -of the 3isnous crime of utilising such small amounts as happened to be m his possession to pay for his washing and sundries. Not being a defaulting solicitor, Hegarty was ruthlessly jtWed, but managed to obtain bail m the interval of waiting for his final despatch. The evidence of clerks, travellers, and drivers charged Hegarty with absorbing various amounts collected by them. One of these witnesses, a clerk named Ernest Lawrence, despaired of making three millions m the employ of the unholy Oil Trust, and transferred his patronage to E. T. , Tavlor. Solicitor Wilford appeared for the defence and asked pertinent questions; You left the firm for a better job ? —Yes. '■■• '-•-:■ How much did you get ? . "Am I compelled to answer: that tmestaon ? (appealing to Magrstrate Riddell). His Worship said* he would have to, and THE HIGH-OOLLARED SUAVE acknowledged, £2 2s 6d.''' - Your gen - teel clerk considers it infra dig to form himself into a union and" howl for his rights, so starves on a pittance to preserve appearances. Was that while the cashier was getting' £1 17s 6d I—l "don't know what he was getting. . ...-. .:.■■■ Hu-gh Hamilton is boss of "the unscrupulous monopoly m these parts, and he remarked that, its r full title was the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary, Ltd. It appears that Hegarty signed,aconfession that he had paid himself more than was authorised by his boss. Mr Wilford: Where did you hold the Court of Cassation ?—Speak m plainer terms and you will get a plain answer. „-.. • .- j Where was the confession signed ?— In my office. \ ' i Are you the Company ?-r-I am. the representative m New Zealand. - But are you not the company ?—I hold power of attorney. Is it an American Company ? —I - can't answer that auestidin. It is registered m Melbourne. ! Hamilton said he himself fixed the wages of the minor employees. He denied the unpopularity of his firm with clerks and lady typewriters, and rejected with scorn the suggestion that quill-drivers were m the habit of leaving his place to a greater extent than they did other establishments. Hegarty wasix't a cashier, but a cash,clerk, anil Hamilton entered iiito .a laborious expla- • nation of the distinction, m a. low tone of voice, to the annoyance of counsel, at whom Hamilton hurled defiance whenever oossible. "You've got to speak up," said Mr Wilford. "It's no use trying to be cheeky to me. You will be taue-ht that ?" Am I correct m saying that accused handled a turnover of from £2000 to £4000-a month?— RIDICULOUS, How much, then ?—I estimate it at between £250 and £300. Do you include cheques ?—-No. If you include cheques ?—lt might be what you say. And you paid him. 6s 3d per day ? -Yes. ■.'■,',. Less than-a dustman gets !—fHamilton looked .displeased.) '• •' You raised*, his screw at Christmas to 7s Id ?—Yes. And you annexed 18s that he had m his pocket ?—I told him to pay over any. moneys be-had belonging to the firm. You knew that belonged to a friend of his ?—(Silence.) Did you dock a clerk's wages when he was away sick ?—No. Will you swear that ?—ln no case has an employee lost money through sickness. You did dock wages. You were made to part up ?—We have a system of referring sick pay to the Melbourne office. Were, you not made by a solicitor to pay "up wages docked sickness ? —l,have no recollection. You had a man named Maxtdn m your employ. Is he still there ?— No. . Gone to better himself ? Your company is a Rockefeller sompanv. isn't it, ?—I don't know anything about that. ■ . Don't ,you : that's curious. Did you dock Maxton's pay while he was sick ?—No. Did the firm ?—I don't know ; I Was absent an Sydney. Heeartv pleaded guilty and was rpmanded to the Supreme Court for sentence.