ALLEGATION OF THEFT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 439, 3 December 1930, Page 7

ALLEGATION OF THEFT

UNION SECRETARY CHARGED JURY RETURNS NO BILL (Special to “Chronfc Ie.“) NELSON, Dec. 2. In his address to the grand jury at the Supreme Court, Air Justice Reed, referring to a charge of alleged theft against Thomas Edward Bird, said that the accused was secretary of the Golden Bay Cement Co. Industrial Union of Workers at a salary of 7s 6d a week and was charged with the theft of various sums of money. His Honour went on to say the general account was bad, as it was laid down in the English Act that it was necessary to show that some specific sum of money must be alleged to have been received from some specific individual or company on some specific date, requiring it to bo paid to some specific person or company. This had not boon shown. The indictment was bad and it would be the duty of the jury to return no bill. It was no fault of the person drawing up the indictment that it was bad, as on the depositions his Honour could not see how the charge could have been laid in any other way. His Honour added that the management of the union seemed to have been shockingly slack. No records of any sort were kept. It was not shown that if there was any deficiency it was due to accused. The union could not expect its books to be kept in a proper manner for 7s 6d a week. He would suggest that no bill be returned. No bill was returned and Bird was discharged.