A DEFAULTING SECRETARY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2364, 3 December 1908, Page 5

A DEFAULTING SECRETARY

FOUND GUILTY OF FRAUDULENT OMISSION. A PLEA OF INEXPERIENCE. (Pukes Association.] INVERCARGILL, Dec. 2. Reginald Day., late secretary of the Charitable. Aid Board, was retried at die Supreme Court to-day on a charge of having misappropriated the Board's funds. After evidence on similar fines to that given at the former trial the jury found him guilty on a charge cf having fraudulently omitted 'to matte entries in respect of two sums mentioned in the indictment, but not guilty of stealing these sums. He stated that his age was 35 years. When asked if he had anything, to say. Day said, “Your Honor, in passing sentence. I shall be glad it you will take into consideration tlie wayin which I paid attention to mv work. J had no experience in the matter of book-keeping, and at the time I got a long way behind with this-part of my work. Mistakes occurred in addition and in banking. It can be shown that I never knew how I was getting on, especially in getting out the bal-ance-sheet. The outside part of the work, attention to outdoor relief, tbe prosecution or illegitimate cases, and such work I did faithfully. Bookkeeping Twas never able to do. I should be pleased if you will take that into consideration. I say yet that i did not take that' money Intentionally. It was a blunder. The books -viil show from beginning to end that there were blunders., and this was a blunder.” He also said that he was a married man with four small children and he was practically penniless. He was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment with hard labor.