FUNDS EMBEZZLED

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1933, Page 6

FUNDS EMBEZZLED

BANK MANAGER PLEADS GUILTY

SQUANDERER ON RACECOURSE.

MELBOURNE, July 14

A , strong; plea'for leniency was made to Judge Woinarski, in. a Melbourne Court, on.'behalf--of Godfrey Vincent Biillen, aged 43, formerly manager of toe State Savings Bank -at Eagleliawk, wfi'o had, pleaded guilty to embezzling EoOO, the.property of the bank.

'Consel for accused said the wliolo amount, had been -repaid to the bank. The prisoner, had contributed ‘£73B and.hi? share in the: family properties, apd other, members, of the family had contributed the remainder.

’The Judge said -lie received a. report, showing that. investigation had disclosed that when prisoner was at the Caeiorhon- branch he had manipulated, some of the accounts. His Honour, after hearing evidence ofc good character, said the total arhount of the defalcations was approximately £IBOO. He found himself nnable to -adopt the suggestion of leniency, though the- fact that restitution had been made was an important factor, to be considered in regard to punishment. One could not but feel a -sense of indignation that an officer well placed in an important public service, with -a good salary, and -in a sheltered position, should do this when so many people /i n these times of hardship and depression were struggling for an existence.

The prisoner had deliberately and disloyally Betrayed the trust imposed in; him, and had stolen money so that he might waste it in high gambling on the racecourse, setting a. shocking example to junior officers in the service, and bringing misery .and degradation on his family. To stop crime like this the law must be enforced rigorously- and promptly. The law should keep alive the feeling of dread of the consequences of serious crime.' The sentence would he imprisonment for three years. The punishment ’had been Ted need to this because restitution had been made.