ALLEGED THEFT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 272, 11 August 1921, Page 7

ALLEGED THEFT

POSTAL OFFICIAL IN TROUBLE

MONEY NOT ACCOUNTED FOR Yesterday afternoon William Gordon Downes was charged in the Magistrate’s Court that on June 6, at Lower Hutt, he received £l5 os. lid. from Henry Burgess, on terms requiring him to pay the same to tho Post and Telegraph Department, and failed to do so, thereby committing theft. Mr. A. B. 'Sievwright appeared for the accused.

Acting-Chief Detective Andrews said that tho accused had been with the Post and Telegraph Department for about twenty years, and had been employed in various parts of the Dominion. For tho last fqw months he had been stationed at Lower Hutt. The smaller pest offices undertook to receive money on behalf of various Government Departments, one being the Advances to Settlers Department. On June G accused was alleged to have received £l5 os. lid. He gave the receipt for tho amount although hof-'had* not used tho proper post office stamp, the reason for this being that it was received after hours. The monev had not been accounted for. The accused had resigned from the service, his resignation taking effect as from September 8. ... Henrv Burgess, storeman, residing at Lower Hutt, said that on Juno G he paid accused £l5 Os. lid. at the post office. on behalf of the Advances to Settlers’ Office. The payment was made about 7.5 n.m. The accused said it was after hours, and the money should have been paid before 4 o’clock. Witness begged him to accept the money, as it was due that day, and he did not wont to lose the discount. About throe weeks ago witness received a note from the Advances to Settlers Department stating that the money had net been paid, and that proceedings would be taken if it was not paid within a certain time. The receipt was produced, and that led to inquiries being made. William Nicholson, accountant at tffe Advances to Settlers Office, gave formal evidence as to the procedure when Postal officials received money for the Department. , , , Walter A. Mansell, postmaster at Lower Hutt, said that on June 6 the accused signed off at 5.30 p.m., and had no right to receive any money after that. He first knew of the money being missing when Burgess made complaints, the accused handled largo sums of money; on June 6 he received about £BB on liehalf of the Advances to Settlers Office. Detective Holmes gave evidence as to interviewing the accused, who made ft statement admitting that he received the monev after hours, and could not remember what had become of it. On behalf of the accused, Mr. Sievwright said that there was something lacking in this case, for there did not appear to be any guilty intention. He submitted that a mistake had been made, due to carelessness perhaps, but that carelessness did not amount to a desire to commit, a crime. The accused was a man who had borne a good character for twontv years, aud handled largo sums of money, and could h“ve stden largo amounts. Counsel invited the Court to accept accused’s statement to Detective Holmes that he had no intention of committing a crime. • Ho had forgotten all about the monev. which was taken after hours, and next day there was nothing to remind him of having received! it. Tlio taking of the money was irregular, but he had done it previously to oblige people. He would, of course, refund the monev, and Ihe Court was asked to treat the accused' under the Probation Aet of last year, and dismiss the information. . , The aocueed gave evidence in suppoi t of counsel's statement, and' at the close Mr F. K. Hunt. S.M., eaid he would decide ths matter this morning.