THEFTS ALLEGED.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20177, 4 March 1931, Page 5

THEFTS ALLEGED.

CHARGES AGAINST ACCOUNTANT. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Frederick Stanley Jarman, accountant to the Springs-Ellesmere Electric Power Board, appeared before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.H., in the Lower Court yesterday, charged with the theft, on April-30th, 1929, and on dates between that and January 16th, 1931, at Leeston, of various sums amounting in ail to £53 18s lOd, the property of the Board. . Me was represented by Mr F. D. Sargent. ixQ pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for Chief-Detective Carroll said that accused was employed as accountant to the SpringSrJfillesmere Power Board. It was ""his duty to make deductions from the staff salaries for payment into the National Provident Fund. He made the deductions, but "not the p'ay- " John Porteous Rutherford, Government Audit Inspector, said that on January 20th last he made an audit of the Board's books. The employees of the Board were contributors tp the National Provident Fund. It was the custom to subtract the premiums from wages and salaries. In the course of his audit, witness found m tracing the deductions. He asked accused if he could be of assistance, but they were unable to find all of the deductions. " , , ~ , "I asked Jar man if he had used the monev," said witness. "Jarman replied, 'if it is not there I must have had it.* Jarman asked for time to look into the matter., Later he agreed that there was a shortage, and _ on January 28th he paid w February 6th, a further £2 18s lOd. Witness prepared a statement showing the deductions from the period ending Maroh 81st, 1930, and January 16tn. 1931.- The total amount deducted from wages was £227 0 sod. and the amount lodged m the banV £l7B is Bd, leaving a deficiency of £53 18s lOd. . v- . To Mr Sargent, witness said that it was the first audit he had made for the Board. Jarman was. not ft good accountant, but everything else regarding the cash was in order The Board's revenue: account would amount to about fOm per year. Jarman had not "shuffled." He had been quite open about the matter. Detective-Sergeant J. B. Young gave evidence of having interviewed th© acciwd, who made ft statement to the effect that he had not put the monev to hi* own use Tf it was mtaiu* it was due to carelessness. Mr Sargent said th"t the acensed was a married man with three chiidwm allowed fn self one surety of £IOO. or two of £SO.