BOOKING A PURCHASE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1930, Page 13

BOOKING A PURCHASE

ANOTHER NURSE’S ACCOUNT. MAGISTRATE DISMISSES CHARGE. The action of a nurse who purchased some material at a shop and booked it to the account of another nurse without telling her had a sequel in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch on Tuesday, when a nurse, whose name was suppressed, was charged with obtaining goods valued at IDs by means of false pretences. Complainant, a nurse employed at the Public Hospital, said she did not authorise any.person to purchase the material. She knew the accused, who was also a nurse' at the hospital. Accused had the opportunity of telling witness that she had put the goods down on her account. Witness denied that she had told accused she could put down' goods on her account at any time she wished. . Accused said it was the practice among nurses to use accounts. As complainant’s friend she thought she could go until the end of the month and then say: “Here is the money for that material,” or else go into the shop and pay before the bill was due. She had the money and intended to pay. The magistrate: What pay do you get at the hospital? Accused: £3 10s a month. Answering an inquiry from the magistrate Dr. Fox, medical superintendent at the hospital, said he understood it was the practice among certain groups of nurses to use each other’s accounts. The Magistrate: Have you made any inquiries since this case. Dr. Fox: No. We were awaiting the decision in this action. What 1 have heard is only rumoured. The Magistrate: But it makes some difference to us. The chief detective said a detective interviewed the matron on the point and she said she knew of no such practice. Dr. "Fox said he and the matron were both of opinion that it was not a criminal act, but just carelessness. “I think this is a case where the name should be suppressed,” said the magistrate, in dismissing the charge.