DID NOT PAY UP

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 146, 16 March 1939, Page 5

DID NOT PAY UP

Collector Of Another Man’s Dividend CONVICTED OF THEFT A married man living with his wife ami three children in Lower Hutt, who was given £2 to invest on a horse which subsequently won and who did not return the dividend to the investor, was placed on probation for a year when he appeared before Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Petone, yesterday, charged with the theft of £l3/11/-, the property of George Francis Cook. His name was suppressed. Detective-Sergeant F. N. Robinson said that the money was given accused by Cook to invest on Helen’s Bay at mitt Park, on March 2. It was arranged that he collect, if the horse won, and meet Cook outside the secretary’s office to pay over. He did not appear and the police were informed. Accused then made a statement that he had invested the money, collected the dividend, and gone to the prearranged place. A man was standing there and accused asked him if Cook was about. This man said he was not and then asked if there was any message for Cook. .Accused then gave him the money. He did not know the man. He said another man was with him when he handed over the money, but this man denied any such thing occurring. Accused had then admitted that he was not telling the truth and repaid Cook the £l3/11/- in his presence on March 11. He earned £6/15/- a week, said Detective-Sergeant Robinson. Accused told the magistrate he had not invested the money. When the horse won he tried to get what he would have to pay by betting, but was unsuccessful. He had been 10 years in his job. and he would lose it if his name was published. The magistrate said it was not usual to suppress the name of a man of accused’s age (36). However, in view of his having been 10 years in his position and the offence being concerned with a tendency to gamble, he would suppress the name.