THEFT OF £580.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1924, Page 1

THEFT OF £SBO.

A SOLICITOR’S DOWNFALL.

AUCKLAND. .March 26. Among the prisoners for sentence today at the Supreme Court before Mr Justice Herdman was Foster Allen Frederick Bone, solicitor, who had pleaded guilty to seven charges ot theft, involving £589 at Kawakawa. On prisoner’s behalf Air Terry said that although it might appear at first glance that nothing could he said in mitigation, the prisoner’s unfortunate position waits more due to muddle ami stupidity than to criminality. Rrisoner was the son of well-known people in England, where lut father was a solicitor. He had a good education at Marlbodough College, afterwards entering Oxford University, where he graduated for the legal profession. Shortly after graduating lie began the practice of his piofession in South Africa, but he enlisted when the war broke out anit served with distinction, rising to the rank of major and going right through until the occupation. T:i 1919 he came to New Zealand, accompanied by a woman who was in borne measure responsible lor his present position. After good and honest service in the Government he was one of the victims of retrenchment, and then whilst owing £l5O he misguidedly went into business as a solicitor at Kawakawa, borrowing monev to do so. When his hooks were taken away for audit (they were returned certified correct after a long absence). Prisoner, who kept no ac-

countant, kept his accounts in a very rough way. and it was in this period that the defalcations occurred. Prisoner was very reluctant to say it, hut the people of Kawakawa knew that the woman known as Airs Bone knew that it was her extravagance that led to this. She insisted upon the purchase of a lu use and motor-car, and was personally extravagant. On one occasion 'she gave a partv which cost £75. Bone remonstrated with her. and she left him. His leaving for Australia might wear .1 sinister expression, hut it v:ns explained that failing to raise money as promised in Auckland he went to Sydney to try to get money from an uncle. Here, too, he was turned down, and he went to work as a labourer in a foundry. Strangely enough, he sent the money he earned to the alleged Airs Bone, but all tbe thanks he got finally was a letter saying that she was married and wanted nothing more to do with him.

Counsel contended that there had been no deliberate scheming in Bone’s defalcations, and the estate now being administered by the official assignee at AVhangarei was expected to yield 10s in the £. Bone had been punished quite as effectively as anything the law could do to him. He had been three months in prison already and had been disgraced in the eyes of those who knew him, and he would assuredly he struck off the rolls and forced to look for some other way of making a living. “Bone,” said his Honour addressing the prisoner, a young man. “if there is anyone who ought to kiiow it is wrong to take this money it is von. Your training and upbringing should have taught you this, also the fact that you practised as a member of an honourable profession. In six months you managed to appropriate £SBO without any excuse or justification. It is no excuse for theft that you were mixed up witl some woman, and I cannot deal with a ease of your kind leniently. These cases of tliett by people in trust are becoming tod common. Meek after week they are in this court before me. These men do not seem to have any hesitation in stealing money. In your ease it is plain you have helped yourself to money belonging to a lot of people who were probably in poor circumstances. You will be sentenced to three years’ reformative detention.”