FALSE PAY SHEETS

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1927, 28 October 1926, Page 8

FALSE PAY SHEETS

ONEEf."NGA BOROUGH CASE.

YOUNG CLERK GUILTY OF THEFT. (By Telegraph. Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This- Day. After a trial Hasting the \greater part of two days Trevor G. Smith agfi.l 19, formerly a clerk employed ‘by the Onchunga Borough Council, was found guilty in the Supremo Court yesterday afternoon to the theft of £3O the property of the Bank of New Zealand. The jury added a strong recommendation to mercy on account of accused’s youth and the strong temptation that confronted him. On charges of theft from the Onehunga Borough Council cf various sums totalling £274 Smith was acquitted. It wasi alleged by the Crown that .he -obtained this money by means of falsified pay-sheets, with the then borough foreman, David Sefton, as an accomplice. Sefton, who .-was jointly charged wiith Smith, pleaded guilty and was later sentenced, but Smith denied any knowledge of the scheme or any complicity in it. • Sefton. tcontinued his ev-ideflee, this closing the case for the Crown. The defence was a denial that accused had any part in Sefton’s manipulation of the pay-sheets, or any share in the proceeds. Mr Tong emphasised that the money obtained from the tank had been fully refunded, and was past and done with when the other matters were brought forward. Accused was £ls short in his cash, and the over-payment by the bank of £3O was a strong tempcation to him. It was (true he had llenlied it, hut this was because he was first taxed with the matter in the presence of the town clerk, and feared he would*lose his position. He was quite frank about it when he -later interviewed the bank manager at the latter’s office. Accused gavel evidence on the lines of his 'counsel’s statement. In reply to Mr Paterson, who appeared for the Grown, accused said he had had occasional bets, but was not a gambler. Employees of the council were callad to give evidence that on several ,’ccasions accused and Sefton separated! while the gangs wt(re being paid. Accused was remanded until tomorrow for sentence