MONEY STOLEN BY BOY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 276, 22 November 1943, Page 6

MONEY STOLEN BY BOY

FATHER ARREARS ON CHARGE OF RECEIVING

Stating that he knew he made a mistake in not returning the money handed to him by his child, but that he was worried at the time and “hard up,” William Ruben Hogg, labourer, aged 40, pleaded guilty, when he appeared before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wanganui, to a charge of receiving sums of money amounting to £6, knowing them to have been stolen. Accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within one month if called on.

Detective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson said accused w’as married with five children and in receipt of Social Security. On November 13, complainant, Frederick William Simpson missed £7 8s from the till of his grocery shop in Moana Street. Accused and his children were interviewed, but’denied any knowledge of the matter.

Later accused admitted that the had received £5 from one of the children, a boy of 10, who had said that he had taken money from the shop, and given some to other members of the family. The boy would be brought before the Children’s Court, Detec-tive-Sergeant Robertson added. The £5 had been recovered, but the boy had spent the rest.

“Mr. Simpson had been very good to us, and I am sorry for what has happened,” accused said. “You have not been convicted of dishonesty before, and I accept your explanation that you intended to return the money, but fell into temptation,” Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., told accused in convicting him, and ordering that he come up for sentence within a month if restitution of £2 8s was not made to complainant within that time.

Accused said he could pay the money next week, and in answer to the magistrate, Detective-Sergeant Robertson said that Hogg was in receipt of about £2O a month from the Social Security Department.