CORPORATION CLERK IN TROUBLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 39 (Supplement)

CORPORATION CLERK IN TROUBLE.

ALLEGED SERIOUS DEFALCATIONS. AUCKLAND, August 19. A charge against a clerk and cashier in the employ of the Auckland City Council. Harold Clarence Robinson, of having failed to account for money received by him on behalf of the council was heard at the Police C°nrt before Mr F, V. Frazer,

S.M., to-day. Chief Detective M‘Mahon withdrew the original charge of failing to account for £lO and proceeded on a charge of having received £328 and of having failed to account for it. Maurice M. Louieson. manager for Fairbairn, Wright, and Co., stated that on January 18 he had drawn a cheque for £l3 10e for payment to the Auckland City Council,

I Hugh Wylie, Government Audit Inspec- • tor, produced the counterfoil of the rei ceipt showing that Messrs Fairbairn, I Wright, and Co. had been credited with I only £3 10s instead of £l3 10s. Thehand- | writing was that of the accused. Further ! investigations, he said, had shown that there were other rather extensive defalcations due to accused’s operations. Defalcations amounting to £328 had been dis-

covered. In past years he had had no reason to suspect Robinson who, since his arrest, had done his best to assist officials in their search for evidence of the defalcations. John S. Brigham, treasurer for the City Council, traced his storv of the accused as he knew it. Robinson had been appointed junior treasury clerk in September, 1905. at a salary of £BO. In Julv, 1912, he had

been appointed clerk and cashier, and at the time of his arrest was receiving £2OO a year.—Cross-examined, witness said that up to July 26. 1913, accused was receiving £IBO. He knew that Robinson was a married man with one child. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He was allowed bail in his own surety of £250 and two sureties of £125 each.