GILLESPIE SENTENCED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1210, 19 February 1914, Page 4

GILLESPIE SENTENCED.

TWO YEAR’S IMPRISONMENT WITH HARD LABOUR

Oliver Noel Gillespie, solicitor, who was committed from Palmerston North on seven charges of theft of trust moneys, came up for sentence before the Chief Justice at Wellington on Tuesday. Mr Arthur Clark, of the firm of Clark and Menzies, auditors, gave evidence that his firm had been investigating the business affairs of the accused, aud the position was that there might be a surplus in the trust account. Other securities had been discovered which did not affect the trust account, and these would realise a fairly large sum. Accused had lent out trust money without any security, aud in some cases without interest. The deficiency in the trust account was practically nil.

His Honour: Is there any chance of the people who gave trust monevs to him getting repaid ? Witness : Very considerable. His Honour: Will they get paid in full f

Witness: It all depends upon how the estate is realised.

In reply to other questions the witness said he did not think the accused had spent more than be had actually earned. He would not like to say that the people who gave him trust money would get twenty shillings in the £. They would get a very considerable sum —anything from 15s upwards. His Honour said prisoner’s case was unique. He had not benefitted by the money. The whole business seemed to have been beyond Gillespie’s management or control, and he appeared to have kept his books in a muddle. At the same time, prisoner knew the law and that he had no right to divert trust moneys from legitimate channels.

The Chief Justice added that he did not propose to pass a heavy sentence. Gillespie had come back voluntarily to New Zealand, and by his assistance a considerable sum of money had been recovered, He would be sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour.