DISHONEST POSTMASTER

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 32

DISHONEST POSTMASTER

- THEFT OF GOVERNMENT MONEYS REFORMATIVE DETENTION ORDERED. AUCKLAND, June 22. A postmaster who, his Honor said, had been caught “ red handed ” in the act of falsifying the books at his post office, was sentenced by Mr Justice Smith in the Supreme Court to-day to two years’ reformative detention on four charges of the theft of New Zealand Government moneys. The prisoner, William Richard Holmes, was a married man with a record of 31 years’ service with the Post and Telegraph Department, said Mr Conlan, his counsel, ip a plea for leniency. For nine years he had been postmaster at Mount Eden. Until 18 months ago his record was unblemished, and he wag highly esteemed. He had commenced gambling for small amounts, lost money, tried to recover lymself, and put more and more . money on the totalisator until the total amount taken was £6OO. He lost consistently. In taking the money he did not open any postal packets and did not take any money belonging to savings bank depositors. It was all Government money. - He was unable to make restitution, but would probably lose the superannuation money to which he could have looked forward in four years. He had paid £3OO into the fund and there were accumulated benefits. “He stands here a ruined man, his occupation gone, and his friends estranged,’’ said Mr Conlan. Counsel, referred to prisoner’s war service, and said he had been badly gassed in France. He was in a little group. 10 of whom were killed, and only three survived. Holmes had suffered from shell shock and was still affected by his bad gassing. In respect of that he for no indulgence from the court, but counsel submitted that in view of his physical condition a long term of imprisonment would have a bad effect upon his health. Dr Bull, who was called to give evidence, said the prisoner’s health was to a certain extent permanently impaired. Long-continued close confinement should be avoided. As regards the prisoner’s war service it appeared to have encouraged a tendency to recklessness. When men had to act under heavy shell fire there was no time to think things out and hesitation would often have meant disaster. They'got into the habit of taking chances which no ordinary person would take Mr Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, said this was an extremely sad case of a man who found his career shattered by his own wrong-doing. He had abused his trust by investing large sums of money in gambling. His Honor, in passing sentence, said it was exceedingly painful to have to deal with such a ease because the offences were serious and the prisoner had a long record of service. The moneys taken totalled £6OO. The court had before it the fact that the man had falsified his books. He had survived one or more inspections and was caught red-handed in again falsifying them in May of this year. “ Your experience in the army might have encouraged a certain recklessness,” continued his Honor, “ but I cannot accept that as an excuse for dereliction of duty. You received a war pension, but that has ceased for some years.” Holmes was ordered to be committed to prison and detained for a period not exceeding two years. His Honor said he did not think the prisoner would be held in close confinement. The court took into account the fact that he would lose £3OO of his superannuation moneys.