INSURANCE CANVASSERS’

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 416, 26 July 1928, Page 13

INSURANCE CANVASSERS’

STORY UNCONVINCING FINED £5 FOR DEFRAUDING EMPLOYERS “The whole thing seems fairly obvious to me. You have been using the society's money to pay other premiums so that you would not lose your commission by the policies lapsing.” In these words, Mr. W. It. McKean, S.M., convicted Janies Henry Edwards, aged 36, who was charged at the Police Court yesterday with failing to account to his late employers, the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society for sums of fl 19s and £3 ISs received from Ivan Giblic and Christopher Peck respectively to be paid to the Society. Put in the box by Mr. Schramm, counsel for the defence, Edwards offered a confused and involved storyin justification of his action. He said that he had utilised the money to keep other policies alive. He had taken none himself. The Magistrate: It amounts to the same thing. You took the money and paid it to the office so that you would not lose commission. “He has been working under an unsatisfetory system,” said Mr. Schramm. “The man is married and ■ has six children. He has not put a penny of the Society’s money in his pocket. In the circumstances I w-ould ask Your Worship to dismiss the case with the payment of costs. You surely do not think the man has been taking the money with any intention of defrauding his employers.” Mr. McKean: But I certainly do think so. The case is not trivial. Edwards was convicted and fined £5, and ordered to make full restitution.