John Arbuckle’s Trial

Hokitika Guardian, 11 May 1922, Page 1

John Arbuckle’s Trial

VERDICT OF GUILTY. WELLINGTON, May 10. The trial commenced at the Supreme Court this morning of John Ai'btickle, ex-secrenry of the New Zealand Miners’ Federation, who is diarged with the theft of £2.000. and with having made false entry in one of the Federation’s hooks. There are ten charges in all, dealing with specific cheques. Eight represent moneys collected from various unions on behalf of the strikers at Broken Hill, while the remaining represent dues forwarded to the Federation by the Pitkemiro Union. Tn the Arbuckle case, counsel for the defence said that the Fedorationo accounts had been in such a state of muddle and laxity that accountants were unable to straighten them. Arbuckle was a. pick and shovel man, and an unfair burden had been placed on! him by his being dragged front tint depths of a coal mine and expected instantly to become a trained accountant. He had to keep certain sums of money, pay salaries at the office, the delegates to the conference, and the daily expenses.

11 is Honour said that Arbuckle had made no daily expenditure on the delegates’ account, and he had kept no lmoks, as suggested by counsel. Mr Treadwell contended that the loose sheets and records produced had only to he hound to become a hook: That the prisoner had said lie must have “ got drunk ” with some of the money. There was a suggestion as to tv ghastly state of federation affairs, which expected an untrained man to act a» accountant and keep accurate records of sums ggregating between £9,000 and £IO,OOO. Counsel submitted that Arbuckle had acted in sheer ignorance of the consequences involved in careless methods of drawing money from the hank or of accounting for their disbursement. An audit was made on July, 1921, and the accounts were found correct. Tho amounts missing could easily have gone without any intention to steal. His Honour said, that it was a curious thing to he able to make an audit without hooks.

His Honour charged the jury that they must return a. verdict based, not on the counsel's statement, hut upon the evidence. From January to August, 1921, some l £2,000 had disappeared. Every time that Arbuckle drew a cheque, it was done for the specific purpose of remitting the money to Broken Hill, hut the money laid never reached the miners there for whom it had been intended. As for using money to pay the expenses of delegates His Honour reminded the jury that they had not begun to meet until July, 1921, so that that contention seemed unreasonable. His Honour drew attention to the alterations in the duplicate book. After an absence of half an hour, the foreman returned, and asked whether the destruction of the receipt book, both- the original and the carbon copies, constituted a, false declaration. His Honour said that the jury must satisfy themselves as. to whether the alteration of the carbon copy and the destruction of the receipt, were dolio with the intention of committing a fraud. The jury returned a verdict of “guilty ’ on all counts. . The accused will, he sentenced - on F riday. When delivering the verdict ofguiltv in the case, the foreman of the jury informed his Honour that he was desired by his colleagues on the Jury to express their very strong condemnation of laxity and carelessness shown by the Federation in keeping its account and handling cash. His Honour sniil ho would have the sentiments of the jury on the .subject given attention to.