SECRETARY’S CRIME.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17465, 27 July 1928, Page 8

SECRETARY’S CRIME.

BUILDING SOCIETY FUNDS. ] SLACK SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTING. CRITICISM OF DIRECTORS. Having pleaded guilty at Rotorua to the misappropriation of £BOS, moneys belonging to the Rotorua Co-operative Terminating Building Society, Leslie Viokers, late secretary of the society and of the Rotorua A. and P. Association, appeared for sentence at Hamilton to-day. Mr. W. A. Carter, in pleading on accused’s behalf, pointed out that the major portion of the money was stolen during the past six months. Prisoner had got into a state of muddle, brought about originally by ringing up unfinancial members of the society, prior to ballots, to inform them or the ballots and of their position in the society. Frequently his friends replied, “ Oh, .you pay in for me, Les, and I’ll fix up later.” Sometimes they did and sometimes they did not. . , Counsel said that almost the whole of the money missing had been spent in drink for prisoner and friends. Prisoner himself could take a tremendous amount of liquor, but was so constiuted that he could not get drunk. Mr. Carter also pointed to the fact that Vickers, who was appointed secretary about three years ago, was paid the miserable salary of £IOO a year, which six months later was raised jo £l5O. Out of this he had to pay £7b a year for office rent, while lie also paid £.4 0 for office furniture. Had Vickers, six months ago, when the defalcations were small, gone to his friends, they would no doubt have put him right. The society was one of the wealthiest of its kind in New Zealand and during the three years in which Vickers was secretary the profits amounted to ■ almost £3OOO. The method adopted by the society in the keeping of its accounts was exceedingly slack, and there was no check whatever on the payments made by members in the books of the society. All the secretary had to clo in order to conceal the funds was simply to put. the deposit slips in his pocket. Some time ago Vickers suggested to the directors that a system of checking should be introduced, but the suggestion was ignored It was when he found himself getting further into the mire that he took to drink. Finally, to unburden his soul, he went to the solicitor for tlie company, who was also an old friend of his, and told him how things stood. He had since given the police and the auditor every assistance to straighten out the affairs of the Society. Had the directors exercised ordinary vigilance, they could not, said sounsel, have failed to discover the defalcations in the early stages. , Probation Asked For. Counsel said he might be bold, but he was going to have the temeriti to ask for probation for accused. He asked His Honour to take into account the skinflint policy of the directors. Vickers, it was safe to say, 1 had the sympathy of almost everyone ! in Rotorua, and certainly more Ilian | was extended to the. diretpors. Vickers was exceedingly anxious to he given a chance to again become a respected member of society and to workto make amends. Counsel, therefore 1 asked His Honour, in fixing the quan- ' turn of punishment, to weigh it in inverse ratio to the measure of repentance, openness, candour and the wash of prisoner to make restitution and In sentencing prisoner to a period of reformative detention not exceeding eighteen months, His Honour said that after careful consideration he hid arrived at the conclusion that . his offence was not one that could be effectively met by probation. He hnd ’ taken into consideration the pleading ’ of counsel, and noted that there were • certain aspects of the case that were 1 out of the ordinary. It would, mHus estimation, be an unwise pioceduieon h pa t o allow probation in the case ot a first offender charged with a serl ious offence of this nature.