A POSTAL OFFICIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1931, Page 6

A POSTAL OFFICIAL

SENTENCED FOR THEFTS.

AUCKLAND, December 14

“The report of the Probation Officer is unfavourable, and apparently you have been ‘going the pace’ ” said his Honor Mr Justice Smith in passing sentence upon William James Hall at the Supreme Court. Prisoner had pleadeu guilty to two charges of theft of postal packets and one charge of forging a registered letter receipt.

In pleading for leniency, counsel for prisoner said that offences by postal officials were particularly deplorable, because they caused usspicion to be cast upon innocent people. In Hall’s case this was not so, because lie had admitted his offences to the police. He was twenty-seven years of age, had fourteen years’ honourable service in the'Post Office, and had a wife and four children. His acts had ruined his career and brought the greatest unhappiness upon himself and his family. “How he came to commit these offences, goodness only knows,” added counsel.

His Honor: Have you seen the Probation Officer’s report? Counsel: No sir. His Honor: Then you had better look at it.

Counsel, after reading the report, said it seemed that when people got into a certain state of mind they ‘went the pace’ regardless of consequences. The amount involved in the charges was £l6 17s 6d. His Honor said'the charges were serious, and the public had to be protected. “The Probation Officer’s report is not a good one, and apparently you have been ‘going the pace.’ T am not going to refer to the charges in detail. You will be sentenced to nine months’ .imprisonment upon each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.”