SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1930, Page 5

SUPREME COURT

BANK CLERK’S LAPSE

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

CHRISTCHURCH. October 31

Embarrassed as the result of extensive gambling on horse racing, Frederick George Findlay McKay, a clerk, employed by the Bank of New South Wales, stole £3OO from tho Ureyuioulb branch of the bank and subsequently committed a further theft of £29 from Ti e bank at Christchurch.

McKay appeared to-day at the Supreme Court before the Chief Justice, On each charge he was sentenced to reformative Treatment for twelve months/ the sentences to bo concurrent. ‘‘ • ' ■

In ispn,fencing' McKay, the Chief Justice said:—“l recognise that in cases like this, the very fact that a man of McKay’s position finds himself before the Court is a severe punishment in iteelf. The resulting degrad-, ation and loss of position is serious, hut Courts have to take into consideration something more than merely punishing the individual, They have to consider what will act as a deterrent to other persons. You chose to take up gambling and . got into debt and committed,i a breaqh of trust- * (by stealing from.’ yoiir employers and you must pay the penalty.” ~ PRISONERS SENTENCED. CHRISTCHURCH, Q<?t ( .3l. . ‘jit' the Supreme .‘Obtfrt, 'pnsbnm were sentenced by, the. Chief Justice, Sir M. Myers, Harold Henry Williams, for breaking; entering and theft,, three charge ß , to eighteen months-hard; labour. Arthur Reginald Hofland, 36 years, for forgery, to three years probation. Frederick Burger Clark, housebreaking and theft, to eighteen months reformative. George Alfred Hayward and Edward Victor Pope, hreaking ) entering and /theft, to two years probation. The Judge said these men being unemployed, seemed to have been driven to crime by destitution. Both were of excellent ,'cha ra-oter.

< NEC LiGENTLY DRIVING ...i' . FINED £150,,u ••

WELLINGTON. Oct 31, At'■tffi®Supreme '-’'ttobrW Clarence Douglas,-Ijr«etpr; Orr,t| aged 24,i a railway phttb’,''nle-ided guilty to a' charge of negligently- driving j|;«iotor car. at Petope 19t|j, September,,: and thereby causing the’'death or Marco Humphrey. ,He was,,lined £,150, s - and prohibited from driving for four yeans.

There was another count of manslaughter, but .the Crown Prosecutor accepted the, plea of guilty on the minor charge.

Judge Blair said Orr was well advised to plead guilty. It seemed to him that i a jury must have found him guilty oh one or the other of the charges: ' -He 'did not. think the case was one "for imprisonment ahd he knew from Tiis bivn experience of' juries’, that They very miicli, resented impri'sohm&ft being imposed' lit such cases, unless they weVe‘ Exceptionally grave. ’ In' the present case there was no element of deliberate carelessness but all the same Orr-lvould have to pay a substantial fine. •di •»= - Cm: ■

‘““’ACQUITTED/' 11

• ! ‘ DUNEDIN, October 31

At the Supreme Court, Thomas Everod Steele was acquitted on a charge of manslaughter arising out of fatal motor accident. Accused was the owner of a motor lorry driven by Frederick Janies Craik, who was fined yesterday for negligent driving causing the death.