SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 268, 8 August 1919, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

DEAL IN FURNITURE ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF MONEY VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY In tilo Supreme Court yesterday, beforo Ills Honour Mr. Justice Stringer, a man JUimed Harold Albert Pea-rd was placed in the dock to answer a. charge ot misappropriating moneys belonging to his employers. There were three counts in tho indictment, viz.: (1) misappropriating j£lso, (2) misappropriating .£7O, and (3) stealing furniture. Mr. P. S. K. Mncassey appeared for tho Crown, and Mr. IT. I'\ O'Lcary for tho accused. Mr. Richard M'Nieol was foreman of tlie jury, ' The facts of tho case were that in 1918 Messrs. Eou.se and Goldfinch purchased tho business of tho Jenkins Furnishing Company, ami tho accused was appointed manager of "the business at a salary of iEB per week. In addition lie was to receive <£2o per cent, of the net profit. His duties included buying for tho firm and valuing furniture,'houses, etc. Late.in December, 1918, lio purchased the furniture of a house, No. 252 The Terrace, belonging to Mr. Partridge, for This furniture, it was alleged, should linvo been at once removed to tho company's .premises, but this was not done. Instead tho accused went into possession of tho house aiul used tho furniture. The money (.£7O) paid for tho furniture belonged to his employer. In March last ho sold tho furniture to Mrs. O'Neill for '.£220, and sliortly afterwards left tho employ of the Ann.

Bvidenco was given by George William Frederick Bouso and Arthur L. Goldfinch, shareholders of tho Jenkins > Furnishing Co., Ltd., H. Partridge, Mrs. Mary O'Neill, and Detective-Sergeant Andrews, on tho lines given in tlie lower Court. Tor the defence Mr. O'Lcary called several witnesses. Harold- Albert Poard, the accused, 6aid that ho purchased tho furniture from Partridge, and then, as he had an opportunity of leasing tho liouso, he did so and retained half the furniture. Tho remainder ho sent to the mart of the .Tenkins Furnishing Co., paying for what he Totained, plus 33 1-3 per cent., tlie firm's profit. Ho took into tho houso a fair quantity of his own. furnituro, which accounted for the groat increase in the price demanded from Mrs. O'Neill. After lio left tho service of the firm ho went to Auckland, and witile there he Heard eomothtng of this troublo and immediately came to Wellington and saw a member of the firm, Mr. Rouge,'and discussed tho matter with him. He told Mr. Eouso that part of the furniture purchased from Partridge was sent to the firm, and for tho balance he paid cash", and he could prove that if he could find his notebook. Ho had that notebook now, which showed that lie paid for tho goods ho kept, plus the 33 1-3 per cent, profit of tho firm. Thomas Hiscocks, licensed carrier, said he knew tho accused and also Messrs. House and Goldfinch. Prior to last Christmas witness did some private carting for Peard. He removed furnituro from Sydney Street to Hill Street, about four or fivo loads, and afterwards took two loads from Hill Street to Tho Terrace. Witness took two loads of furniture from the house on Tlw Terrace to the of.the Jenkins Company. Tho storeman, Arthur La Eoche, received the goods from witness. Arthur La Eoche gave evidence as to receiving the furniture from the last witness and. taking it into stock. Three relatives and an independent witness gave evidence as to tho accused possessing a considerable quantity of furnituro prior to going into possession of the house on Tho Terrace vacated by Mr. Partridge. The jury after a short retirement found the prisoner not guilty. '