SUPREME COURT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1712, 1 April 1913, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

(Before His Honour Sir Robort Stout, C.J.) EMBEZZLEMENT. TWO YOUNG MEN SENTENCED. TWELVE CHARGES. Yesterday morning James Mooro and Herbert G. Bailey, two ex-employees of the "New Zealand Times" Co., who bad pleaded guilty to charges of the theft of moneys belonging to tbo company, ■ appeared 'before his Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Hobert Stout, to be sentenced. Aioore had admitted seven charges, and .bailey live charges. Air. T. M. W'iliord appeared for Moore, and Mr. I'. Jackson for Dailey, _ Air. Wilford, speaking lor Moore, said .that ho was twenty-six years of age, and had, prior to these lapses, borne an exemplary character. ."Realising what ho was doing, Moore had arranged with a friend, a Air. Thompson, to have tho whole of the money', repaid. The ■■ money was being repaid into the offico when the discrepancies were found out. Aioore was not a criminal, but one who had succumbed to temptation. Mr. Thompson was willing still to stand by Moore, if Mooro was given 'an opportunity to start life afresh. In Bailey's behalf, Mr. Jackson said that Bailey was twenty-iivo years of age, and that he had been married a year. Ho liad been employed by tho "New Zealand Times" Co.. as an accountant at a wSge of <£3 per week. He was not a Now Zealander, but had come here from Australia six or seven years ago. In the first.place he had got into trouble, when, iinding that he was ,£2O short in his petty cash, he made it up from the other funds of the company. He had then misappropriated a small sum, and invested it in, horse-racing, in the hope of recouping. Friends were willing to have money repaid 'at tho rate of £1 per week. His Honour expressed regret at finding two young men in such a position. Some years ago the Judges had decided that ombezzler9 should not be admitted to probation. Moore and Bailey were liable to long terms of imprisonment, but ho would pass a nominal sentence uponeach—six months' imprisonment.