HIS CLUMSY THEFT

NZ Truth, Issue 1301, 20 November 1930, Page 5

HIS CLUMSY THEFT

,—; r*—: ■ '•■-: COURT CLERK GOES TO GAOL .s".'. (From "N.Z. Truth's" Wellington Rep.) A clumsy theft, perpetrated m a **■ clumsy ' manner,., ay^s ' the. way Mr. W.-VE. Perry, Counsel •' for.v Vincent Cranfield Butcher,-* described that young man's offence when he appeared, before Mr. Justice- Ostler m the Wellington Supreme ' Court for sentence on a charge of stealing £103, while , employed as , a clerk m the .Magistrate's, Court.. V . / ' Mr. Perry attributed Butcher's theft to the fact that, during the last .year he had given way to drink. One. morning recfently, .before .', the 'other clerks had arrived at work, Butcher went to the Wellington Magis T trate's Court, and- opening the strongroom, helped .himself to money from two cash boxies. He then went to Auckland and was arrested as he was about,to: take a boat to Sj'dney. Allowing for' the sum found on' Butcher when arrested, and a refund "ori the ticket' to Sydney, there was only £48 arid odd shillings now unrecovered, said Mr, . V • Perry. ' ,• .■ Butcher had ordered this' amount to be paid from his superannuation fund^ and iri doing' so had shown remorse and penitence for his offence. ; His/HonOr said that it .was 'quite clear that .drink was 'the cause of j Butcher's fall. As the prisoner was only a young rhan, 'arid as he had coriimitted - only one crime, and not a series he would not be too hard on him and.would give him a chance io live it down. •. '■ "" Butcher was sentenced to imprison--ment.with hard labor for. a- term -of two months.. '