DISHONEST CLERK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1786, 26 June 1913, Page 9

DISHONEST CLERK.

CUSTOMS OFFICE CRITICISED. | OPINION OF AUDITOR. METHOD "ROTTEN TO TNE CORE." Criticism of somo of the business methods of the Customs office at Wellington formed a feature in a case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. In this caso a clerk nnnicci Atliol Ambrose M'Caul was charged with 'having .stolen (between August 13, 1908, and August 10, 1912) sums .amounting to .£573 Is. lid., belonging to Gollin and Co., by whom he was then employed. Mr. 11. Myers appeared for Gollin and Co., and Mr. A. A. Anderson for tho accused. Ernest William Hunt, of William?, Hunt and Co., stated that for the laft twelve years lie had audited the accounts of Gollin and Co. For the last five years M'Caul had acted as Customs clerk for tho company. . Witness had recently investigated M'Caul's transactions, and had fouiid several shortages. M'Caul's ■ practice was to draw cheques for an amount greater than the duty payablehe had admitted this. Notwithstanding that the cheques were crossed and marked "not negotiable," tie Customs Department had frequently handed back to M'Caul substantial amounts in cash. Mr. Anderson: If the Customs had had a decent system this could not lave been done? Witness: It would have made it very much inoro difficult. What is your opinion of this system ?— "It is a decided danger to the commercial community." As a matter of fact, the system is abso- ■ lutely rotten ?—"Rotten to the core." Continuing, in reply to Mr. Anderson, witness stated that, in consequence of discoveries by him, a former accountant at Gollin and Co.'s liad been dismissed. It was simply the methods of the Customs Department -which had prevented liim finding out the misappropriations sooner, j The weakness of the "Customs receipts" was that the receipt was always in tho j hand-writing of the clerk most concerncd. To Mr. Myers: He understood that the | system of paying out cash on non-nego-tiable cheques had been stopped by the present Collector of Customs. M'Caul pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supremo Court for sentence. OVERCOATS. MISSED BY' HOTEL GUESTS. Percy Alfred Fabian appeared on eight ell urge sof stealing overcoats. The coats were' said to belong to Frederick Allen, Adolphus Barrett, John Herbert Hinton, IT. S. Johnstone, John Deans, James ! Frederick Brown, Michael Joseph O'Malj ley, and Thomas Sinclair. Their total value was set down as J223 17s. Gd. John Scott Johnstone, sheep-farmer of North Canterbury, stated that, on June 4 i last, ho was staying at the Grand Hotel, 1 and that he missed his coat and cap ! from the lower hall. These had . been taken while he was having dinner.' He recognised the coat produced in Court as his. . John Deans, farmer, of Colgate, Can- : terbury, deposed that his coat had been taken "from the Grand Hotel, Wellington, on June i. He had left it on a lounge on tho first floor. The coat produced in Court was his. Accused was then remanded till Wed- ; nesday next to allow him an opportunity Vof securing a solicitor's assistance. Bail (,£4O) was granted. DAYLIGHT AFFAIR. SENT ON TO SUPREME COURT. Walter Thomas Miles and William Albert Murray were charged with having assaulted William Beresford and robbed him of 17s. 9d. Beresford deposed that on Juno 18 he went to certain premises at the back : 'i tho City Hotel, and- one of the accused asked him for a cigarette. Then Murray pinned his hands behind him whilo Miles searched liis pockets and took 17s. 9d. Witness shouted for help, and was at once struck heavily across the mouth. On getting free, lie ran round the corner for tho police. Coming out on to the street again, he saw tho accused get on a Constable Street car, which was proceeding up Kent Terrace. At the Vivian Street crossing they got off the Constable Street car and took a car which was going to 'i'horndon. Quay. Later, during tlio same afternoon, ho saw Murray in -Tory Street and pointed him out to Constable M'Kelvie, who arrested him. He saw subsequently Mites in tho Prince's Theatre Hotel, and had him arrested by DetectiveSergeant Cassells. Alfred Harding, barman at the City Hotel, gave evidence to the effect that while Beresford was in the hotel on Juno 18 accused entered and had drinks, which they did not pay for. Duncan Malcolm M'Derinott, tram conductor, stated that, on Juno 18, two men boarded a moving car (going to Constable ■ Street) at Courtenay Place. They did not pay their fnres, aiid they got off again at tho Vivian Streot junction. Constablo M'Kelvie stated, in the course of evidence, that, when Beresford complained to him that he had been robbed, his mouth was bleeding. Tho accused, who were represented by Mr. P. W. Jackson, reserved their defence, and were committc-d to tho Supreme Court for trial. Bail (,£SO) was allowed. JOCKEY'S JEWELLERY. James Henry Sergeant was charged with having (at Levin on April 13) stolen from the dwelling of Charles Jenkins a gold watch, a gold chain, a gold sovereign case, and a pendant, valued at ;£75. James Whitaker was also charged with having receivotl l'rom Sergeant a <£30 watch belonging to Jenkins, knowing that tho article had been dishonestly obtained. Charlo3 Jenkins, jockey, deposed that his house had been entered by a window on the night of April 13. Tho property produced in court had been stolen on that occasion. Two employees at Ross's flaxmill, near Levin, gavo evidence to the effect that Sergeant had been working at the mill at about the time at which the theft was alleged to havo been committed. Tho defendants were then remanded till July 2, when further ovidenco is to be ottered. W r OMEN IN TROUBLE. Kathleen Stanley, who was deemed to be a rogue and a vagabond, was sentenced to six Jmonths' imprisonment. Bella Swanson, who disputed a charge that she was a rogue and a vagabond, was given "a chance." She stated that sho had work to go to. Sho was convicted and ordered to appear for sentence when called on. May Gibbons, who admitted having solicited prostitution, was sent to tho Salvation Army Homo for six months. THREE STOWAWAYS. Thomas Watson, George Smith, and John Reid, who camo from Tasmania by tho steamer ltemuera as stowaways, were each fined .85, in default ono month's imprisonment. OTHER CASES. Walter Ernest Andrews, who was caught having a stand-up fight in Tory Street with, a man who evaded tho police, was fined «El, in default three days imprisonment. For insobriety, Jesse Underwood was titled .£2, William Jones 10s., and Joseph Cauliield 10s.