PUBLIC SERVANT’S DISHONESTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20905, 20 December 1929, Page 20

PUBLIC SERVANT’S DISHONESTY.

MISAPPROPRIATION OF MONEY.

COMMITTED TOR SENTENCE

(Special to Daily Tihes.) AUCKLAND, December 19

The sum df £2BO 10s was admittedly misappropriated by Richard James Lanipan, a clerk in the Auckland Lands and" Survey OfHce, who was this morning committeed by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., for' sentence at the Supremo Court. He was charged with having stolen that sum between November, 102(3, and November, 1029. Chief Detective ’Hammond conducted the case for the police, and Mr Sullivan appeared for the accused. James P, Lane, accountant in the Lands and Survey Department at Auckland, said that Lanigau had been a clerk, in the Auckland office since June, 1020, when he joined the department. The accused had charge of certain dutiesthat required the stamping and registering of certain documents, such as surrenders, advances, 1 etc. Recently he admitted to witness that he had misap--propriated stamps to the value of about £3O. Witness informed the chief clerk.. Later, the accused produced about, 400 documents that should have been stamped and registered, but were not so dealt with. Forty of., them should have been stamped. (.0 the value of about £2 each. The majority were about 10s each. Witness made a thorough search of the office documents, and found that between November, 1920, and November, 1020, the total misappropriations had. amounted to £2BO 10s. Witness produced a schedule and said it was admitted by the accused to be a correct account of the position. To Mr Sullivan: The accused made the disclosures himself in the first instance. It was not true to say that the docu- 1 ments were not hidden. They had been. hidden. The accused produced them all himself, and gave every possible assistance in clearing things up. A Government audit inspector at Auckland stated that an audit showed the defalcations to be mentioned by the previous, witness. The accused admitted to witness that he had bought the necessarjr,stands at the Stamp Office, with- cheques that were banded to him, and that-he had, resold "them to a girl in the Lands , Registration Office and kept the proceeds. Detective Sergeant John' Martin handed in a statement made by the 'accused at the detective office admitting the defalcations.

The accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Mr Sullivan, in asking for bail, pointed out that the long vacation of the Supreme Court was on, and it,would be the end of January before the accused could be sentenced.

His Worship granted ball in two sureties of £20(7.