ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19246, 11 February 1937, Page 3

ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT

HOSPITAL SECRETARY OVER £IOO INVOLVED ' (Fer Press Association.) NAPIER, this day.' . The gallery was packed when Percj" , Raeburn Smyrk, secretary" to the Waipawa Hospital Board, appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr.. Justice Ostler aud pleaded not guilty to one charge of stealing £45 14s 9d oh: September 29, 1936, in his capacity as a servant of the board; to another charge of stealing £24 on August'l. 1936, and from that date to December 1 other moneys totalling £45 Is lOd. In all instances the money was. the property of the Waipawa Hospital Board.^

The Crown case was conducted by jMr. IT, B. Liisk, and it was alleged thai Smyrk instructed a. 19-year-old clerk to use' a cheque drawn to pay travelling expenses:, of board members tor the. payment of a personal school account, and also that Smyrk took money from the petty cash imprest account lor personal use and repaid it from his salary later.

For the defence, Mr. C. G. Barker called evidence in support of ..the submission that Smyrk was unaware the clerk had cashed the cheque for the board members' travelling expenses, but thought the personal school account was paid bv a loan on salary from the petty cash. 'The defence further contended that while Smyrk admitted borrowing money in advance of salary, he was unaware that a crime was being committed.

The case had not been concluded when the court rose.