DISHONEST OFFICIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16238, 23 November 1914, Page 2

DISHONEST OFFICIAL.

THEFTS FROM LAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT. COSTELLO SENTENCED. (Peb United Phess Association.) CIIJR.ISTCIiyiMJH, November 21. In the Supreme Court this morning, before Mr Justice Dennislon, Andrew Costello came up for sentence. He had ■pleaded guilty to the theft of £1922 19s l Jd from the Land Revenue Department. Tho (Jro'vn Prosecutor aaJd the accused had pleaded guilty to six charges involving £1922 19s 9d. His total defalcations, in eluding the amount to wfliich lie had pleaded guilty, wwe £12,679 Bs. They extended over a period of eight years. The 'prisoner Teceived rents from 5000 Crown tenants yearly, the revenue from whom amounted to £250,000. Mr J. A. Cassidy, who .appeared for the prisoner, said his client had been in the Government service in the Land Revenue Department for 17 years. Fe bewail at a salary of £50 a year. Con siderablo sums of money passed through his hands, and were in his possession at different times. Cheques were received by him for as much as £150,000, and on ordinary occasions £60,000 would be in his charge. Some eight or 10 years ago ho became involved in money-lending transactions.

His Honor asked what was the prisoner's salary at the time he commenced his defalcations.

Mr Cassidy said that last year it was £250, and when he began embezzling it was £120. His Honor : I cannot understand how it was that he was not found out before

he was. Mr Cassidy : Part instalments were all right. It was only current instalments that were in default. The Crown Prosecutor explained that a number of tenants would be in arrear with their rent, and the prisoner kept others in arrear by retaining the money as it came in. When he received money he applied it in payment of the past year's rent instead of the one in which it was paid and was meant for. There was no check as to the current year. His HonoT : These men came in with their rent, and apparently this man put it into his pocket and there was no cnecK on him. Mr Cassidy : Hβ would neveT keep a tenant more than six months in arrear. His Honor : He kept men in debt who had paid their money. Mr Cassidy : That is so. He never kept them so long in debt as to excite the suspicions of the department, and he paid fines for rent being overdue when lie squared it up. Mr Cassidy pointed out to his Honor that there were only two officials in this department, though it was the largest revenue department in the dominion. In replying to his Honor's question as to the motive for embezzlement, Mr Cassidy stated that it commenced 10 or 12 years ago, and in endeavouring to get out of the mire he got further into it. His Honor : How did he live? Mr Cassidy : Apart from this he has been a very respectable young man. His Honor : lie must have spent some of the money Mr Cassidy : I think it will be conceded that apart from this his life has been a respectable one, and it came as a very great surprise. He assisted in clearing up his embezzlements. His Honor : All he did was to say :" I will n-ive you as little trouble ae possible.' 1. How did he spend his meney? Mr Cassidy r He spent it in betting— trving to recover. *His Honor : How did this man manage to go through £10,000? Mr Cassidy : He started 10 years ago. His Honor : It w useless to say he got into this thing through thinking that if he went on there was a hope of being able to pay up. Mr Cassidy : The air is full at times of stories of people who have made all sorts of fortunes out of this sort of thing.

His Honor asked what was the prisoner's age, and was informed that it was 36 years. "Then," said his Honor, " he began when he was 28 years of age. I suppose he began by gambling. People don't begin to bet in order to make up their living expenses. I don't see how I can look upon it as other than a very serious fraud on the public, committed over a period of eight years. I think it is a case calling for a very substantial penalty." A sentence of three years' imprisonment was imposed.