POST OFFICE THEFTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4738, 15 August 1924, Page 4

POST OFFICE THEFTS.

ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. At the Police Court, Paeroa, on Wednesday, before Messrs W. Marshall and B. Gwiiliam, J’s.P., Alfred Arnold Lipsham, a youth who was for some time empplyed in the Paeroa post office, was arraigned on twentysix charges of theft of postal packages from the office. Accused was represented by Mr R. S. Cardon, and pleaded guilty to .all the charges. In outlining the case Senior-Ser-geant T. O’Grady, who conducted the prosecution, stated that accused had admitted stealing the sum of £7 13s 8d and.other small sums from letters, but where cheques had been crossed accused had burned them.

Hugh TvicCaw Shand, grocer, Paeroa, said that in May last an account for £7 13s 8d had been posted to James Wilson. In June Mr and Mrs Wilson in an interview stated that the cheque had been posted to Brocket and Shand. . The cheque was never received.

To Mr Carden witness said that, the account, had since been paid- by Mr Wilsor. in cash.

James Wilson, farmer, Netherton, said tn at on June 11 last he had signed a cheque for £7 13s 8d in favour, of Brocket and Shand, drawn on Hits account in the National Bank of New Zealand. The cheque had not been received by Brocket and Shand, and on making inquiries at the bank he found that the cheque had been endorsed and cashed by the accused. The amount was later refunded oy the Pc-eroa postmaster. Mrs A. E. V. Wilson corroborated the statements of her husband. _ I. K, Peak, teller in the National Bank at Paeroa, said that on June 25 last the accused came to the bank and presented the cheque (produced) for payment. The cheque was endorsed by accused, who was wearing a postal messenger’s uniform. j. G. McDougall, postmaster, Paeroa,' said th»t on July 2, as a result of complaints of the thefts of postal packets he interviewed accused, who had admitted stealing the cheque produced.' The amount wais- later paid to witness by accused’s mother. Thomas W. Kenny, surveyor, Paeroa, stated that he had posted a cheque for £3 3s drawn on the Bank of Ne.v Zealand, Paeroa, in favour of Dr. Little. The cheque, which was crossed, had not reached Dr. Little, nor had it been cashed. W. W. Little, medical practitioner, gave corroborative evidence, and stat ed.that his letters were delivered by • postal officials. , > Arthur Farrar, baker, Paeroa, stated that in June he had rendered an account to Maxwell and Brash, Hikutaia, for bread supplied, and in July he sent a further account, when Mr Maxwel.l informed him that it had been paid, but the cheque had never been received.

Tames F. Maxwell, storekeeper. Hikulaia, said that on June 20 he posted a cheque for £33 3s 4d to Farrar and Parkes, but on making inquiries he found that the cheque had not been received by them, nor had it been presented at the bank or since recovered. He stopped payment of the cheque as soon as he heard that

is was missing. Albert E. Say, butcher, Paeroa, paid that in June he had forwraded an account to Mrs Tilsey, Tirohia, foi 30s, and, later on Mrs Tilsey applied for a receipt for the amount. He did not received the money until the post- > master handed it to him on August 2. | Mrs Alice Tilsey gave evidence to j the effect that she had placed a £1 I and a 10s note with an order for meat and posted the envelope to Mr Say. I She had also posted some money to ' T.' H. Hale the same day. Hale re- i ceived his money al) right, but the J 30s for Say had not been received.. The letters had not been registered.. To the Bench the police intimated! that accused had admitted opening, Say’s letter and spending the money.. ' Miss E. A. Cock, Paeroa, said that in June Mrs Goonan called at Mr Gamble’s shop and asked witness why she had not sent the iserge asked for in a letter in which Is 8d had been enclosed in stamps in payment. 'Witness had replied that the letter had not been' received by her. Mrs M. H. Goonan gave, evidence, as to having posted the letter at Hiku> taia, where she was, staying with friends. Arthur W. L. Alexander, farmer, Hikuiaia, stated that in June he posted a packet containing photographic films to S. J. Hedge, Paeroa, with instructions to print them. The films had not reached their destination. S. J.-. Hedge, Chemist, Paeroa, said that he had not received the films mentioned. Evidence as to losses of. cheques was submitted by R. I. Roberts, Paeroa, AV. J. Simpson, Paeroa, Crosby and Gosper, Netherton, W. M. Soreirsen, Paeroa, P. Williams, Paeroa, T. A. Hanlen, Hikutaia, Mrs A. Thorp, Paeroa, Dr. J. Y. Warren, Auckland, M. Davidson, Koinata, F. E. Flatt,. Paeroa, W. H. Harris, Waikino, and RC. Robinson, Waitekauri. The non-del.ivery of a money-order was testified to by Mrs M. A. Tetley;, Paeroa, and B. May, Waiheke. Evidence as to the despatch and'

non-rcceipt of letters and other postal matters was tendered by Miss I. Taylor, Paeroa, Mrs V. R. Higgins, Devon-port,-Mrs V. Turton, Paeroa, Miss G. C. Jchnston, Paeroa, Smith and Caughey, Ltd., Auckland, B. Stansfield, Paeroa, and H. Fiegler, Hikutaia. Ah Ling, Paeroa, and Edmund Hines, Frankton Junction, gave evidence as to the jnon-receipt of telegrams. and a written statement on a similar subject was tendered by the Police on behalf of H. G. Somervell, Paeroa

Each charge was taken separately. Leslie M. Clapp, enginedriver, N.Z. Railways, gave evidence as .to seeing the accused standing on. a bridge on the cinder track leading from the railway crossing near the engine sheds to Hill Street. He noticed accused throw a number oi postal packets into the creek. Some of the letters were later recovered by witness in. a.wet and soiled condition and handed to the postmaster.

J. G. McDougall, postmaster, Paeroa, gave evidence as to reciving the mail matter from the previous witness. Mr McDougall stated that accused had been employed in the post offee as a messenger and acting lettercarriei from December, 1922, until the morning of July 3, 1924. He had first questioned accused in count ction with postal matter that had been recovered from the creek, Leading from that the ioss 'of Brocket and Shand’is cheque for £7 13s 8d had cropped up, and he had obtained the cheque from the bank. The amount had since been paid by the mother of accused and handed to Mr Wilson. Accused had made no mention of having stolen the cheque when first questioned. It had been necessary to suspend accused from the service, and in response to the notification of suspension accused gave a written statement admitting the ■ taking of some of the tel, egrams and letters. The day following accused made a further statement admitting the theft, of further letters and cheques covering a period from June 19 to the time of his suspension in July. Witness* said that there was a further complaint from Mrs Hartley as to the loss of a letter containing £1 Ils 4d, but the Police did ru t intend calling that witness owing to the cost. Witness said that accused or his mouther had refunded £1 10s, which had been handed to Mr A. E. Say, 2s to Battson’s, Is 8d to Mrs Goonan, and Is to Mrs Dahl, the latter amount having been given to accused to pay for a telegram which he had not sent as requested. Accused had admitted l.ater that he had used the 13 to pay.for,one of the collect telegi ams, he had destroyed.

To Mr Carden witness said that he had no knowledge of any further monies having been refunded. Constable McCljnchy, Paeroa, gave evidence as to the arrest of accused, and the statements made by him. Senior-Sergeant O'Grady read a ' later statement made by accused admitting al) the charges and stating that a number of letters and cheques had been opened by him. If the cheques were crossed or otherwise not negotiable he had burned them. Most of the postal matter had been taken by accused during the luncheon hour. ’ For the defence Mr Carden called E! Edwards, land agent, Paeroa, and Miss M. Shaw, teacher, Paeroa, each of, whom.gave evidence as.to the good character of the accused prior to his present trouble, and stating that the youth’s'home influence was good. This concluded the case on the indictable charges. The police then charged accused | tsummarily with the theft of two. posta* packets, containing a postal (i note for 155,-the property of Mrs O. R ; j Kidsori. Tnverc'argill, and Is, the prol.perty of Mrs Doel, Paeroa. j Accused pleaded guilty to both I charges, ami was convicted and orj dered to make restitution, plus 10s •costs. On the major charges accused was committed for sentence to the Su-> preme Court, Auckland. On the application of the police /bail was increased to two sureties of £lOO each, and himself in one surety of £5O.