MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 741, 14 February 1910, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

'■■■ 4— ——■:.' '.-.■' '.V ..'. A LABOUR UNION'S FUNDS. THE .SECRETARY'S'; CONFESSION.' (Before Mr.. W,G, Eiddell,. S.M.) Wm. Williams was charged on. remand, (1) with having, between.December Land February 1, , stolen the slim :of: £GO, the property of; the- Wellington . Iron and Brass Moulders' Union| (2). Ma'y.'2O,' theft of .£ls, the property. of the union; (3) June 26, theft of £15 10a. J (4) July H, theft of £25; (5) August 30, : theft ;of .£6; (6) December '3, theft' of; ,£5 '3s. 9d.;'and (7), December 3, having received ; ,£l6. on: terms requiring him to account-for the same to A. H. Phillips ho-did fraudulently convert it to his own. use..- '■ Chief Detective Broberg asked.that; as last..six-charges-covered , in detail the amount mentioned in the first char Rβ that the first 6harg6 should be withdrawn and his Worship agreed -to: this. ■"-. '.'• "■'■'■' Evidenco was. called'-to the effect- that accused had been secretary of the Mould- 1 ers'. Union'since February 190 D at β-sal-' ary 6f-;-J27 10s.- per year:'•-■• The trustees' for the -union admitted .that the;?■ had signed bank withdrawal forms in blank, and had left them with the secretary. Had they not done this the offences could not have been , committed as the amounts could.not have'been obtained without their signatures. They had trusted Williams and "let things slide." Otherwise accused .could not have got into his present-, position.;. It was also stated thiit accused had collected ,£lO from a benefit "social," and should have forwarded the money to Auckland, but had not dohd sp.' /: ...:"..." '.■.. : .... ;■ .y . ..,./. "■■.■s Detective HammohdTproduced a : WTit- L ten. admission"- dated. February I,', mtlde by accused. He'admitted having embez-. zled- the/money and. stated that, if he: had been given', .time, .ho -tould .have; raised the. money;to square up\some'time. ago. He had received■advice from' Home that bis father had died;.' and:,had left, him a: considerable', amount of ~'liioney,;. :aild; hd therefore thought he;,would be safe, irt; borrowing 'funds from .the ,onion.Matters: in connection with the legacy, ipwoyer, had been dragging on owing to his not serving his time. in the German Army and, short of- : going Home, himself, he had little chance of ever, getting :he money. He did - not \know until : too late that; ho would be unable: to get th 6 monoy and in the meantime he had kept on drawing out money from' the union ;hinking he would be able to;paj it back without anyone knowing of it. Accused, acknowledged that he had cmbeziited i£6o and had : promised : to pay that sum over, to the.executive;before February 9.; Adreused also confessed to;having received £10 from a benefit "social" heid by' the' union,. and ■ having • converted it ;to his own. use,-..■'■• / •;'.•■■;:"■■■ :'• :■■"■■-.■' ■. : - : , : v,.".';,.■'■;, ,'-Accused pleaded guilty- to -each' of the charges' and was committed to: tho-Su-premo Court for sentence, bail-being allowed, in' tho sum of • and■ two >sure-i ties ; of bS4o,each.. Mr. Wilford appeared : for.acciised.-'; .. ";'' "'■•.■;•■' ','■'■:■■ .•'■'■■■'.■ ' "NO ..^bME'-AND ; .'NO ; ;MBANS>-■■:'■ \' "She is in <&'< miserable state and has had no. food for , some, time"said StationSereeant Darby referring to Martha Jane , MConnell, or Hake,'. a middle-aged ■" woman who pleaded guilty to.'a charge of being an' idlo and'disorderly person within the nleafling of'the: Police':'Offences Act 1308, in that.she'hns"insufficient law-, nil. means of support:. "She has no home 1 and no means,"..added the station-ser-geant.:. His. Worship, enteredra; convic-. tion and -order to come up- for- sentence 'when , .'called, on on, conditidn that the Woman, .went into the; Salvation.; Army Home arid remained thefe for d period of six-months. ".-' •';'■'' ..':'..- .'.'■'■. . ." ,' .-,;■;: :, : :DESEiITER'-FEOM K.M.S:'■ CHAXI ■' :!..-'■ -LENGER:;/;' , VA/-,i-..-" - : ■A youthful man-o'-war sailor named Dongla.s Molnolmv Brown "pleaded, guilty, to-;a- charge of.having, , at "Wellington; on ■January,- 7,'. deserted from H.M.S.■'■' Challenger;.T The /Court .ordered that -Brown should be .detained until' he could be placed 6h board.'his, vessel.':.; ;., -'■■■■ '. '/) INSOBRIETY.]; '!'"J y' : Z'o; "... Johri-'-Shannon.' and James'O'Neill .Bell were each l .convictedij-'and 'fined iWa., in', default 48": hours' imprisonment,;'6ii : ' a' charge of insobriety. Henry Irwin waS charged with ■ having'been ..found 'in a' ,stato of: helpless .drunkenness 'in Grey Street, and,' was convioted . and ordered to pay medical expenses incurredi'los. 6d..