THEFT OF MONEY

Southland Times, Issue 22055, 30 June 1933, Page 7

THEFT OF MONEY

CLERK PLEADS GUILTY. ADMITTED TO PROBATION. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 29. A former employee of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association, Sydney James Smith, aged 42, a clerk, pleaded guilty when charged in the Police Court with stealing three sums amounting to £l2 18/4, the property of the association and two further sums totalling £4 6/8, the property of a war pensioner. Detective-Sergeant O’Sullivan said that until last month accused had been employed by the association as accountant at a salary of £4 per week. For a short period he was acting secretary at a weekly salary of £5. On three different days last month he stole money belonging to the association concerned. The money was collected by accused on behalf of a war pensioner. In asking for leniency, Mr Atkins said that recently accused was wrongfully held to be responsible for the loss of one of the association books and -was suspended. This worried him as he had been a loyal servant. He later suffered a nervous breakdown and was in hospital. It was while he was in a state of muddle that the offences were committed. The Magistrate, Mr Hunt, admitted accused to probation for 12 months and ordered him to make restitution.