PUBLIC MONEY STOLEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 213, 8 September 1945, Page 7

PUBLIC MONEY STOLEN

DEPARTMENTAL OFFICERS Wellington, Sept. 6. Six cases of misappropraition of public moneys by departmental officers involving the sum of £1532 are reported in the annual report of the Controller and Auditor-General for the year ended March 31 last, which was tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. The report states that five of the misappropriations were committed by accounting officers, and forgery and falsification of entries was resorted to in four of the cases. The fifth case, the largest misappropriation reported, involving the sum of £1245, occurred in H;e Post and Telegraph Department in Auckland. Restitution of £1092 had been made. The department’s system of recording and accounting for revenue derived from this sources was reexamined and further safeguards instituted with a view to preventing further loss. The ordinary safeguards provided by internal checks were applied wherever possible to prevent irregularities and the Audit Office in the course of its duties examined the accounting systems in operation and suggested improvements where necessary. The instances reported, apart from the Post Office loss, did not point to remediable weaknesses in the accounting procedure t in the departments concerned.