CHARGE OF OFFICIAL EMBEZZLEMENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1217, 22 June 1872, Page 2

CHARGE OF OFFICIAL EMBEZZLEMENT.

[west coASir times, june 20.] Harry William Barbor was brought up on remand, charged under the Larceny Act, with applying to his own use the sum of Ll7 Bs, being money that had come into his possession as Receiver of Revenue. Mr South prosecuted on behalf of the Government, and Mr Purkiss defended the prisoner. . . .• ; . The following additional evidence was taken : — : . : . Edward Patten sworn : I said in my former evidence that I discovered that the sum of LIT Bs, paid by Joseph Kilgour, of Greymouth, had not been accounted for, whereas the discovery had previously been made by another officer. John B'Beth sworn : I am Receiver of Land Revenue for the district of Westland, and Acting-Postmaster at Hokitika; la April last I was instructed by the Government to make an examination of the books kept by prisoner as Receiver of Land Revenue and Postmaster. I made that examination on April 26. I examined, the cash books in the oflice. I examined the cash book of the Receiver of Land Revenue, 1 the doposit cash book of the Receiver of Land Revenue, the Gold Receiver's cash book, the bank passbooks, a receipt bock, and also the postal and money order, and savings bank books. I did not find in any of the books an entry of the receipt o£ Ll7 8s on account of anagricultural lease paid on January 12th, 1871. I searched the books to. find out if there was any deficiency. On this occasion, I was looking for a. deficiency of Ll7 Bs. After the search, I first saw the prisoner on April 29th in the Receiver's Office, in the Post Office. Mr Lahnjan, the County Chairman, was also there Mr Lahaian produced two receipts, and asked prisoner what had become of the money. He said, " What has become of two sums of Ll7 8s each V Prisoner said he had no doubt he would find the entries in the books. I then told prisoner that I had made a thorough search, and there was no entry of either of those sums. Prisoner said, "They must be entered there." Then~ Mr Lahman told him he had better acknowledge at once. Prisoner then said that he had taken the sum of Ll7 8a which ; had been paid to him on January 9, 1872, and that he had used the money. He said he did not know' what had become of the Ll7 8s received^ by him on January 12, 1871, Mr Lahman said, <( I would advise you to pay the money at once." Mr Lahman. also said that the sum was L 34 16s. Prisoner said, "Yes, I will." Prisoner asked that he might have till the evening to make up the sum. Later on the same day prisoner came to me in the Post Office, and said; " I don't 1 mind telling you that I took the LI 7 8s received on the 29th January, 1871, to pay my debts, and that I fully intended .refunding both amounts to the public account, but was unable to do so." I telegraphed on the subject to the Receiver-General. Prisoner jvas suspended before he tendered his resignation. . ; . • By Mr Purkiss : My examination of the books took place before he tendered^ his resignation. The examination toot place after his suspension. T examined the money-order and savings-bank, books, in March; I examined no other books at that time. X, did not discoyer anything wrong at that time. Prisoner was paid his salary monthly. He used to countersign the- cheques. Prisoner- drew . his salary up to the end of March in full. : .;.• Henry Hermanu Lahraan, sworn : I am Chairman of the County Council of Westland.- 'On the- 29th April, 1872,1 saw the prisoner in/company with Mr M'Beth in the Post Office. I asked prisoner how it came that certain receipts for ah agricultural lease, %r the blocks belonging to them were not to be found in the receipt book, and that, moreover, it could not bg found that he had actcounted for them in w^y. J n^med the receipts io him. I asked him whether he had accounted for the money 1 he had received from Kilgour and Perotti, on account of rent for an agricultural lease held by them. Prisoner said, "Oh! I shall soon find that," or words to that effect. I answered, "It is no use denying* it j here are the receipts." I then showed the receipts to prisoner. He said, "I really don't know about the first receipt, that ought to have been accounted for; as to the second receipt, dated 1872, 1 have to confess I made use < of the money, being very hard-up at the . time." At the same time I asked prisoner ' to make good those sums, after which he wished to know whether I should take ' any steps to prosecute : him* I ;replied, 1 "Certainly not, I have nothing to do < with that, I have not been asked to take Bteps." I saw prisoner again in the aftert noon; He called on me, but I was not ( in the office, and he met me on the re- y 3erve. Prisoner asked me whether it "1 would be of much consequence if he paid bhe money by the following Saturday, because, being the latter end of the month, his friends were rather stumped. s [ answered that it would be the same to v ne whether he paid the money that day >r on Saturday, and that- it was merely 'or his own good that I, wanted him to )ay it. Mx South applied for a further remand v o enable him to procure the evidence >f Mr Kilgour. ; Prisoner was remanded until M«nday text, bail being allowed, himself in LI 00/ '*' ,nd two sureties in LSO each. ,ai On "the second charge, in respect to a d imilar amount the prisoner had received, n the 9th January, 1872, and which he lad applied to his :own use, a remand Was ai ranted until Monday next, bail bging I s< Uowed aa in the other charge.