A SOLDIER'S PAY-BOOK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12082, 10 August 1917, Page 5

A SOLDIER'S PAY-BOOK.

[PER PHESR AssoriATiOK.! WELLINGTON, August. 0. At tho Sr,promo Court, a returned soldier named Prroy Charles Tite was charged vrith tho. theft of £2l 18s 9d as portion of a sum of £37 lis M, the property of tho TSew Zealand Government.

It was alleged that accused, who formerly was in the Grenadier Guards, left .\Vnv Zealand as a sergeant in the New Zealand Engineers, and had overdrawn jiimounts due to Kim. Tito, in his evidence, said he volunteered i.h" day war broke out. He was on Gallipoli Peninsula, from April 25 to September, niter which he went to Malta, where he remained iu various hospitals and convalescent camps. Till tho time he was in Malta ho was operating on his original pay-book. This pay-book was lost in Malta owing to his clothes being taken away to bo fumigated, and then he did not know what ho had drawn. Ho had tried to get his pay-book back, but could not, and tho pay sergeant gave him a second book. After ho received tho first pay-book back ho banded back tho other book at Malta. When the second pay-book was issued to him at Malta ho did not tell the issuing sergeant of tho allotment because he was in bed suffering from dysentery. When he came out of hospital ho told the pay sergeant of the mistake, and the latter said it did not matter, as the original pay-book would soon bo back from the fumigating station. After he had reported it ho did not think it bis duty to have the matter fixed up, nor did h e think ho had overdrawn in any way. The jury, without leaving the box, returned a verdict of not guilty, and Tite was discharged, his Honor remarking that there was nothing against hi 6 character. His Honor thought tho jury had done the right thing. There was nothing to show that accused acted wrongly, although lie might have acted carelessly, and should have, been more careful. He also fel,t, it his dutv to say that the Defence Department deserved no blame in the matter. Tho Department seemed to bo looking after its finance properly, and he was glad to soo that accounts were checked and I looked after a.s they had been.