THEFTS BY CLERK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22607, 26 June 1935, Page 7

THEFTS BY CLERK

DEPARTURE ON FISHING TRIP LOSS OF MEMORY PLEADED (Pee United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, June 25. The story of a man who left bis hom» in Auckland to go on a week-end fishing trip and finally found himself at Timaru was told to Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., in court to-day, when John Daintry Campbell Birch, aged 37, described clerk, of Monaghan avenue, Auckland, was charged with obtaining sums- totalling £l6 and failing to pay them to Muriel Wallace, thereby committing theft. He pleaded guilty. The police said the complainant was a milk vendor, who had employed the accused to collect accounts, but in March last the latter went off on complainant's bicycle one day and failed to return. Counsel said' the accused was married. His position in Auckland was a good one. He left his home there in March to go fishing, eventually reached Chrietchurch, and then had no recollection of his past history. Later his wife reported him missing. It was not until he was in Timaru that he came to himself. Counsel suggested that the whole thing was due to a lapse of memory. The acoused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called on, and to make restitution in 14 days.