Mercer Town Board Loses Over £350

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 452, 6 September 1928, Page 1

Mercer Town Board Loses Over £350

CLERK FOR TRIAL

“KNEW THERE WAS SHORTAGE”

Pleading not guilty at the Police Court this morning to the theft of £353 9e 2d in various amounts from April 3, 1924, to August 2, 1928, the property of the Mercer Town Board, Augustus Henry Francis Wisnesky, a railway employee and Town Board clerk, aged 42, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

Mr. Alan Moody appeared for accused, and bail was allowed in one Surety of £250. Reginald Aylett, chairman of the Mercer Town Board, said that Wisnesky was employed as clerk and treasurer to the board, having been appointed in September, 1922, at an annual salary of £25. Witness said that It was accused’s duty to attend to the board’s money and correspondence, banking all cash received. Hugh Wylie, auditor-inspector, of Auckland, said that he had experienced great difficulty in persuading iVisnesky to submit his books for audit, bis occupation as signalman making him a difficult man to catch. VTien witness eventually obtained the books he found deficiencies in the neighbourhood of £3OO. Certain enfiies had been omitted from the books Altogether.

When accused had been told of the position he had expressed great surprise. He said that he knew there was A shortage, which he thought would be about £4O or £SO, as he had been in tbe habit of using a few pounds when be was a bit short, but considered that b© always replaced what he took when be received his quarterly salary Cheque.

An admission had been made to the Police, said Detective Sinclair, that the board’s money had been used by Wisne sky, but accused had said he did not realise that the shortage was so great.