INSURANCE THEFT

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1933, Page 5

INSURANCE THEFT

OFFICERS GUILTY

TWO SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS’

(Per Press Association — Copyright.)

CHRISTCHURCH, February 11

For theft of £11,431, Clarence Alfred Palmer, 30, and Walter Vernon Wiseman, 33 formerly employed by the Alliance Assurance Co., were each sentenced to four years’ hard labour. The thefts extended over several years. Justice Beed said it was extraordinary that the thefts had not been discovered' before.

Mr Lascclles, for the prisoners, said that it was unfortunate that .in the office there had been such free access to the cash box. There was no audit of the cash box, while the premium registers were not checked, and these two men fell into the clutches of a system when they wore little more than youths in 1026. Mr Lnseelles stated that Palmer was a married man with two children, and 'Wiseman, "married, with, one child, Palmer’s age was thirty, and Wiseman’s thirty-three. The thefts began eight years figd, he said, having their origin in a small way. At first they sought to adjust a smnll discrepancy and that brought them into the clutches 0 f a system. In 1926 they attempted to break the practice but were unable to do so. Since the prisoners had pleaded guilty another member of the staff of the firm had ! been dismissed for dishonesty, anti that supported the contention he bad j made that the seeds of dishonesty fell i on ready soil. The prisoners did not definitely feel responsible for the < whole amounts. If there had been; a check, the thefts would have been discovered years ago. The offences had occurred mainly at the time when the world gave itself to pleasure.

“They saw too much of race meetings and of cars,” said, Mr Lascelles “and they simply frittered the money away.”

“They had a salary' of three hundred pounds, which they increased to £1000,” said His Honour. Counsel said th-ere were no indications that the men were of a debased criminal type.

“There would be some force to your argument if there had been any need for them to go on with the thefts to hide wlmt they had already taken, but there was not,” said His Honour. “This is a, shocking case.” It was not his business, he said, to say anything concerning how the . books of the company were kept. It seemed extraordinary, however, that the thefts were not discovered before. It seemed' only reasonable that the responsible persons in- the firm should, be aware of how their employees were spending their money. There was really no oxoipmj for the prisoners, If they had started young, they could have pulled up, They intended to rob their employers as long as they could. It was neclessarv to inflict a punishment which would serve as a deterrent to others who might be in the same position.