THEFT CHARGES

Southland Times, Issue 21577, 15 December 1931, Page 7

THEFT CHARGES

POSTAL OFFICIAL'S LAPSE. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, December 14. "The report of the probation officer is unfavourable, and apparently you have been going the pace,” said Mr Justice Smith in passing sentence upon William James Hall at the Supreme Court. Prisoner had pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of postal packets and one charge of forging a registered letter receipt. In pleading for leniency, counsel for prisoner said offences by postal officials Were particularly deplorable because they caused suspicion to be cast upon innocent people. In Hall’s case this was not so because he had admitted his offences to the police. He was 27 years of age and had 14 years’ honourable service in the Post Office and had a wife and four children. His acts had ruined his career and had brought the greatest unhappiness upon himself and his family. “How he came to commit the offence, goodness only knows,” added counsel.

His Honour: Have you seen the probation officer’s report? Counsel: No, sir. His Honour; Then you had better look at it.

Counsel, after reading the report, said it seemed that when people got into a certain state of mind they went the pace regardless of the consequences. The amount involved in the charges was £l6 17/6. His Honour said the charges were serious and the public had to be protected. “The probation officer’s report is not a good one, and apparently you have been going the pace. 1 am not going to refer to the charges in detail. You will be sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment upon each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.