JOSEPH FLED

NZ Truth, Issue 1183, 2 August 1928, Page 8

JOSEPH FLED

; ■ . . « : Race Day, and Trade Was Very Brisk •

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Rep.) When Joseph Brennan Wareham started to wofk for Phillip Schneidemari at Wellington, he no doubt looked like becoming one of the most valuable members of their staff. JN fact, so promising was he that after six months m the Wellington shop he was transferred to Hastings as manager of the local branch. He received £ 6 a week and commission, and, according to Detective Fitzgibbon, all that he had to do was to get the day's takings and bank them— but, unfortunately, that is just what Joe did not do. At least there was £78/11/3, which did. not' find its way to the bank, and at the last sitting of the Magistrate's Court m, Hastings, he faced four charges of fraudulently omitting to account for the money. Joseph pleaded guilty to all the charges. EXIT JOSEPH Detective Fitzgibbon, who prosecuti ed, told Magistrate A. M. Mowlem, that it was the accused's duty to bank dally and send his returns to headquarters at Wellington by. Wednesday of each week. Joe did this all right for the first few weeks and then the returns failed to reach headquarters. Urgent requests failed to bring them to the mark and finally, the Wellington manager went to Hastings to investigate. When he arrived, however, he found that Joseph had flitted, and with him had gone the £78/11/3. The police were informed and eventually the missing Joseph was arrested at Auckland. Counsel L.A. Rogers put m a strong plea for leniency on behalf of the accused. He said that the firm's arrangements were such that accused had to carry the day's takings on his person overnight, to be banked next day. Unfortunately, the Hastings raceweek came along and Joseph could not resist the temptation to punt with the firm's money. . • He realized the gravity of his mistake when it was too late, but it was an extreme temptation for any man to be carrying about large sums of- money m a big race week. • Counsel urged that the accused be given the benefit of . the Probation Act so as to give him a chance to make good, as he had not been m trouble before, except for a domestic affair. . SOME ECHOES The Magistrate: What is the position of his domestic affairs? 4 Detective Fitzgibbon : 'He is living apart from his wife who is keeping herself m Gisborne. Prior to his marriage, an order was made for his illegitimate child and he has served imprisonment for default of 'this order. "He was also fined £5 for assault m Wellington about 12 years ago." The Magistrate: It api:»ixs to me that because a man has his employers', money m his pockets there is greater reason for him to be more careful with it. I cannot agree that because it was race week he was subject to extreme temptation. ' "Any ordinary individual would not be subject to that, and the mere fact that this man so abused his trust, and then abused his employers by running away, does not argue much m his favor. Has he been drinking or anything like th'at7 Detective Fitzgibbon: I believe he had been drinking at the time. His worship said he was m an extremely difficult position. He could not find anything m favor of accused, and the question which faced him was whether it would be fair to the commercial community, if a man who had done as accused had done, was placed on probation. j , To do so would mean stretching tne law almost to breaking point, but because of the possibility that accused might yet make himself a decent citizen he would concede the absolute maximum of leniency and put accused on probation for three years, one of the .terms being that the whole of the money should be refunded una'er instructions from the probation officer.