SOLICITORS SENTENCED.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 60, 6 November 1914, Page 3

SOLICITORS SENTENCED.

[Pbb Fbebi Association.] Christchurch, November o

Two solicitors, guilty of misappropriation of moneys, were sentenced to terms of imprisonment by Justice Sim at the Supreme Court this morning. Thomas Maude,convicted of the theft of £IOOO from Elizabeth Barnestt, pleaded guilty to the theft of £2400 from James Copland. The prisoner had nothing to say why sentence should not be imposed on him. His Honor said both offences were of a serious nature, and it was his duty to inflict a substantial term. Prisoner would bo sentenced to three years’ hard labor on each indictment, terms to bo concurrent,,

S'rank Bowring Turner, who had pleaded guilty to the fraudulent conversion of £?? 18s Id, belonging to Anno Jean Burgess, also caine up for sentence. His Honor said that 111 regard to the misappropriation of clients’ moneys by. solicitors, the general rule was that prisoner must-sundergo imprisonment. It had been pointed out by prisoner’s counsel that the rule might be overlooked, owing to prisoner’s drinking and muddled state. That did not, however, seem to His Honor to justify a departure from the general rule, and with regard to prisoner not having an Order to pay over the money, if prisoner had had a desire to pay his client he could have got over the difficulty by sending a draft to Sydney. There were other circumstances in the case, however, which he would take into consideration. Prisoner would he sentenced to’ six months’ gaol.