DISHONEST CLERKS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1932, Page 6

DISHONEST CLERKS

STOLE THE SUM OF £5099. TERMS OF PENAL SERVITUDE. Three bank clerks, Stuart Charles McLean, aged forty-one, Horace John /Finn, aged forty-nine and Frans Phibbs, aged forty-two, were convicted in Sydney of stealing £5099 while employed as clerks 1 to the Commercial Banking. Company cf Sydney. McLean and Finn'were each sentenced to four years’ penal servitude and Fnicbs ito I two years’ penal servitude, j The jury made a recommendation for mercy in the case of Finchs, and asked that in each case the previous good character of the accused should be taken into consideration. The jury added the following rider: “We regret that the bank system afforded an opportunity for defalcations to be carried out for such a long period.” Answering his Honour, Mr Broad, an inspector of the bank, said that the tellers’ books were balanced each day. No check that he could imagine would find anything that had not been entered. His Honour: Would not there be a check between the head office and the branches? ' Mr Broad:: Yes once a week. ■ His Honour. It does seem a pity it 'went on for a period of fifteen months. His Honour asked Mr Broad wheif a depositer paid in a £lO note, and the teller chore to tear up the deposit slip, the. matter could be checked? ' Mr Broad: Not in the case of a £lo' note, but a - cheque could he traced. Hon Honour: 1 think it comes to. this—that no human being has yet been able to devise a scheme which some fraudulent person cannot beat. After 'all, the solution seems to be to get honest men on the job. It does seem to the credit of the men that they owned up. The Judge said that, in sentencing tlie prisoners, h@ bad the public to consider.