SLOW HORSES

NZ Truth, Issue 1146, 17 November 1927, Page 9

SLOW HORSES

Stephen Liversage's

£5000 Haul

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Welling- ; ton Rep.) Henry Stephen Liversage joined ' up with the firm of Joseph Nathan and Co., of Wellington, when a mere boy of 16. With application and industry he stuck to his task and gradually prospered m the firm's, employ. « PAME the Great War and for two *"■ and a-half years he did his bit at the front, later returning to his old job with Nathan's. In 1921 he was cashier for the firm and held down that ; position up till recently. Liversage, m his responsible position, handled about £ 50,000 m cash and cheques during the course of each month and did his job well until there came a time jvhen certain sums were missing. Instead of reporting . the loss to the firm, Liversage, with fear of dismissal ever present m his mind decided to help' himself from the funds he handled, ' 'He followed the theory of a number of others who have been ed m the same predioament and started betting heavily with the / idea \.of replacing the missing money. His fond hopes di 4 Hot come true and instead of being able to write "all square" • against his books, (he sank deeper and deeper. That was way back m June, 1921, and right up to the present time he has been frantically . endeavoring to recoup his losses — with the firm's money. ■ In all, he helped himself to £ 4804 Ob. Id. and now there has come the accounting. >, , Auditors went through his books, noticed Irregularities and asked Liversage to explain. It was a difficult task, but he did so to the best of his ability. Last week, m the Wellington Magistrate's Court before two J's P. he pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of this amount and now awaits his sentence at the hands of the Sugreme Court Judge. John Campbell Port, local secretary for Nathan's, told the court the sorry story of Liversage's downfall. To Lawyer Cousins, who appeared for Liversage, the witness stated that apart from the present charge the firm had always found accused a diligent and very good worker and his charaoter had been excellent.