AN UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 473, 16 August 1915, Page 11

AN UNFORTUNATE AFFAIR.

THEFT OF MONEY. Robert Pitcaithly, formerly a wellknown business man in Christchurch, and lately a resident of Welligtoh, came before the Supreme Court on Saturday (says the "Post"), on a charge of having stolen various sums of monev belonging to David Kerr Blair. Mr T. M. Wilford appeared for the prisoner. Prisoner pleaded guilty. On his behalf Mr Wilford read a letter testifying to his good character as a business ', man over a number of years. Only a few years ago he was in business and earning £3OOO or £4OOO a year, but failed owing to his steam boat purchases and through the dock contract and land speculations. He served Mr Blair for some time at £6 a week, but as business fell off his salary was reduced. His wife was a confirmed invalid, and he had a young son to keep. The money had been taken by prisoner in the expectation that he would be able to repay it out of the sum of £IO,OOO which he hoped to get from the Government as compensation for the loss of the dock contract, and which was now being considered by a Commission appointed by the Government. He was driven by sheer necessity to take the money—by misery and sickness.

The Crown Prosecutor protested -against • any plea of mitigation of sentence being acceded to. His Honour said lie could not grant probation. He would sentence prisoner to 18 months' imprisonment with hard labour. He believed that drink had had a great deal to do with the case.