EMBEZZLEMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1948, 3 December 1906, Page 3

EMBEZZLEMENT.

At Wellington on Friday, in sentencing James Bobersson, formerly secretary of Court Sir Georgs Grey, A 0 F„ who was convicted on a oh-urge of shaft of lodge funds, tho Chief Justice raid : I havo reud tho statement you have handad in to tho gaoler, aod considered your oase, I have also to oonsidsr that she jury strongly recommended you to moroy. No dcubt they based their recommendation on tho fact that the auditors had not performed their duties properly, but on tbecmtrary had performed them perfunctorily, or otherwise they would havo ditcovored your Bhorioomings aomo 14 or 15 years ago. I do not know that that is a very good ground on which to base such a recommendation, but I always try to carry out, as far as I can, recommendations coming from a jury, as they may view the matter in a different way to a judge. I always try to give effect So their recommendations. I shall in this oaso, therefore, reduce the sentence that you, perhaps, ought to got, aud which was given in a very eimiiar case at Christchurch some months ago, Tbo offence was a very bad one, although there may have been a muddle in tho books. Too ctso hod ox-

tendod over 15 years, and tho lodge was maintained by man who woro, perhaps, not well up in lifo, for their families, and in times oi eickness and distress, and under tho prisoaor’a management some £2OOO at least had disappeared. Or course oue cannot allow that sort of thing to go on, because it lias beon m-t one sum, but it has been your system for a great number of years, and you have, by falsifying tho balance-sheet, misled thn auditors. The enntenco will bo very light considering the evideocu. lam very sorry for your family, but I cannot allow shat to weigh much wish mo. In reference to this case, I hope it may not reflect at ail upoo them, They seem to bn a family of whioh any person could bo proud. Is is very ead to know that a mm who hold tho positions you havo should have been deosivieg tho community for so many years. Tho eeatcnco of tho Court is Shat you bo imprisoned and kept to hard labor for three and a half years.