POSTMANS LAPSE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 234, 2 October 1929, Page 16

POSTMANS LAPSE

LETTERS NOT DELIVERED THROWN INTO THE RIVER A charge of detaining four postal packets, namely four letters addressed to Hammond, 259 Somme Parade, was preferred against Thomas Gibson Whelan, postman, 19 years of age, at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. A plea of guilty was entered. Detective Revell stated that, up to a few days ago. the defendant was employed as a postman at the Aramoho Post Office. On September .14 he missorted four letters, putting them with the railway mail. He was later handed the letters to deliver and at the same time given a telegram. He met the man to whom the telegram was addressed just outside the post office and, as he thought it was a long way to deliver the letters, ho decided that he would include them in the next delivery on the following Monday morning. Enquiry, however, was made for the letters, and he became frightened and destroyed them In a statement, the defendant said that, but for the fact that he got frightened on hearing the letters were being asked for, he would certainly have delivered them on the Monday. It was the first time the defendant had been before the Court, added the detective, and he had previously borne a good character. “You have not only committed a serious offence, but. you have also blasted your own career,” said Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M. “I think that you have already been heavily punished by the fact that you will lose your employment, with the Post and Telegraph Department. In view of your good character and that you are 19 years of age, I think this is a case for probation. You will be admitted to probation for a period of 12 months.”