LYTTELTON'S LUCRE LIFTED

NZ Truth, Issue 510, 27 March 1915, Page 9

LYTTELTON'S LUCRE LIFTED

Council's Caibier Collari Cash

Another Tronthem Trooper m Trouble.

(From "Truth's" Christchurch Rep.)

At the Lyttolton Magistrate's Court last week, before J's.P., Cecil George Farrow, a well-known local athlete who, until leaving for Trentham with the Expeditionary reinforcements recently, had beon employed aB cashier by the Lyttelton Borough Council, was charged on eight separate counts, with having received a total of £693 15/9 on terms acquiring him to account for the same to tho Lyttelton Borough Council, and having fraudulently omitted to do so.

Senior-sergeant Ryan prosecuted, and the accused was no£ represented by counsel.

According to the evidence of Captain R. Hatchwell, local agent for tho New Zealand Shipping Co., the thefts seemed to have all occurred m connection with money paid by that company for

WATER TAKEN ABOARD • at Lyttelton by its various overseas veßßels botwoon Kebruary, 1914 and February, 1915. Irf all coses, receipts, signed by the accused, for moqeys received, were produced. L. A. Strange, town clerk, stated that Farrow was employed by the Council as cashier and it was part of his duties to receive all moneys and allocate the same to the various accounts. In a year tho accused would handle probably between fifteen and seventeen thousand pounds. On February 6, 1915, Farrow severed his connection with the Council In order to Join the Expeditionary force. Augustus Eames, audit Inspector, stated that he had recently made an examination of the Council's books and wan m a position to state that tho moneys mentioned by Captain Hatchwen had not been accounted for m the i Council's funds. 'Tec Martin Carnoy gave evidence that on March 10, Farrow made a written Rtatemont to the effect that he had received the moneys as sworn by Capt. Hatchwcll. Tho accused's written statement of tho sums he had misappropriated tallied with those mentioned on tho charge-sheet. The various amounts were paid into the Borough Council account by cheque and THE EQUIVALENT WAS EXTRACTED from the cash receipts. Farrow admitted having converted the money to his own use, and stated m explanation, that on uccount of financlnl dlfltcultlcg, ho had taken tho money to clear himoolf while In v state of mental panic. As a result, he had only become more Uooply Involved. He had supplied the Council with particulars concerning the amounts before he was arrested. Furrow, when formally charged, pleaded guilty to all counts and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail being allowed In sureties totalling £600,