CIVIL SERVANT'S LAPSE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2314, 23 November 1914, Page 7

CIVIL SERVANT'S LAPSE

A THREE YEARS' SENTENCE

THEFT OF CROWN TENANTS' RENTS. (By MoEittDli.—Presa -iaaociaUon.) Chrlstchurch, November 21. In the Supreme Court this morning, before His Honour Mr. Justice Denniston, Andrew Costello came up for sentence, having pleaded guilty to the theft of £1922 19s. 9d. from the Land Revenue Department. • The Crown Prosecutor said that the accused had pleaded guilty to sis charges, involving £1922 19s. 9d., his total defalcations, including the amount to whioh he had pleaded ; guilty, were £12,679 Bs.| they extended, over a period of eight, years. Prisoner received rents from 5000 Crown tenants, the yearly revenue from whom amounted to £250,000. Mr. J. Cassidy, who appeared for tho j prisoner, said that his client had been m the Government service in the Land Revenue Department for 17 years. He began at a salary of £60 a year. Considerable sums of money passed through his hands, and were in his possession at different times. Cheques were received by him for as much as £150,000, and on ordinary occasions £60,000 would bo in his charge. Some eight or ten years ago ho became involved in moneylending transactions. His Honour asked: What was the, prisoner's salary at the time he commenced his defalcations? .. Mr. Cassidy said that last year it was £250, and when he began embezzling it was £120. Never Found Out, His Honour: I can't understand how it was that he was not found out before he was. • Mr. Cassidy: Past instalments were all right. It only current instalments that were in default. The Crown Prosecutor explained that a number of tenants would be in arrears with their rent, and prisoner kept others in awear by retaining money as it came in. When he received the money he applied it in payment of past years' Tent, ■ instead -of one in which it was paid and was meant for. There was no check as to tho current year. His Honour: These men came in with their rent, and apparently this man. put it into his pocket,' and' there was no check on him'? Mr. Cassidy: He would never keep a tenant more than six months in arrear. His Honour: He kept men in debt who had paid their money! Mr. Cassidy: That is so. He never kept them so long in debt as to excite the 'suspicions of the Department, and lie himself paid fines for rent being overdue when he squared it up. • Mr. Cassidy pointed out to His Honour that there were only two in this Department, though.it was the largest revenue Department in the Dominion.

Deeper in the Mire. Replying to His Honour's questioning as. to the motive for the embezzlement, Mr. Cassidy, stated that it commenced twelve years ago, and in endeavouring to get out of the mire, he got further into it. His Honour: How did he live? Mr. Cassidy: Apart from this, he has been a very presentable young man. ■■' His Honour: He must have spent some of the money. , . Mr. Cassidy: I think it will be conceded that apart from this his life has been a respectable one, and it came as a very great surprise. He assisted in clearing up his embezzlements. His Honour: All he did was to say: I will give you as little .trouble as possible. How did-ho spend the money? Mr. Cassidy: He. spent it in betting, and trying to recover.

.. His Honour; What forms? Mr. Cassidy: All''forms. >■'■'■■ ■■■ " His Honour: Card playing? Mr. Cassidy: No, not card playing. His Honour: How did this man managoto go through £10.000? ,Mr. Cassidy: He started ten years ago. 1 .. ■ ,

: His Honour: It'is useless to say ho got into this thing through thinking that if he went on there was hope of being able to pay up. _ Mr. Cassidy: The air was full at the time of the stories of people who had made all sorts of fortunes out of this sortof thing. - . His Honour asked the prisoner's age; and was informed' that it was 36. "Then,'.' said His Honour, "he began when ho was eight-and-twenty. I suppose he began by _ gambling. People don't begin to bet in order to make up their living expenses. I don't see how I can look upon it as other than a very serious fraud on the public, committed over a period of eight years. I think it is a case calling for a very substantial penalty." ■•'.-.''

A sentence of. threo years' imprisonment was imposed. • - •