EX-SECRETARY IN DOCK ON THEFT CHARGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 503, 5 November 1928, Page 15

EX-SECRETARY IN DOCK ON THEFT CHARGE

TEXT OF INDICTMENT When Frederick William Webster, late secretary of the Whangape' Co-operative Terminating Building Society, stood in the dock in the Supreme Court this morn'ng on a charge of failing to account for £1,498 16s Bd, his counsel, j J ohnstone, formally th = t t d k ? S re Mr ’ Ju »«ee Smith that the indictment be quashed. hi,?° U , n f e ' obJected ‘o the text of the w v of *" f dlct “ ent in thac Hs phraseomnLv'' to ‘' div ors sums of money without naming specific amounts. His Honour noted the objectltm and reserved his decision on trial P ° mt UntU the conclusion of the R K - Trimmer, of Whangarei, WUh Mr ' Johns - tone Opening f or the Crown, Mr. V. R hv S - al . d accused w as employed by the society as secretary from its Evprvth’ *” 1924 Until Au Sust, 1928. Everything went smoothly at first, and Wehsfer end ° f the first annual audit Webster was congratulated on his ?5 c ; e "t book-keeping. In addition hf.tn el , d the secretaryship of other institutions, as well as that of the local racing club. He was assisted a >' oung woman and his son. At -M,sif nd ° f the third F ear the society's auditor cautioned accused for slackness in nedger postings and things n\ ere not satisfactory. Mav «° ?.l of the half-yearly balance, .\iay 33, 1928, the auditor, Mr. A M reported to the chairman of f/^ Ctors , that important recommenda- ! a , S resular Postings and Ih'- K" , ! ad , not been put into effect, thereby delaying audits. . August 25 the auditors' balance i„ et for the year ending August 12, , ~^ e , vea ed a shortage of £1,335 ls d. Webster, called before the directors, said he could not understand the statement. To Mr. H. W. Crawford, managing director, he admitted he might have taken £SO. Questioned further, ho said: “I have taken small amounts from time to time and may have taken £100.” Webster went on to say he might even have takeh £2OO, but he did not think It possible that he took more than £IOO. Bust must have been exceedingly slack, because it was difficult to understand how he was not cognisant of what was going on, continued counsel, lue surprising thing was that accused had made no attempt to dispute the ?^ U iT eS of investigating auditors. If YV ebster was innocent there were only the alternatives that his office system was slack and perfunctory, or that somebody else had stolen the money. Lut he had absolved his office stock and Rust from all connection with the loss. CIVIL LIABILITY ADMITTED Hugh Wentworth Crawford gave evidence similar to that outlined by the prosecutor. Witness had said: "Now, look, Webster, as man to man, have you taken that money?” Acaused repeated his earlier statement. Witness said: "Good heavens, man, where were you going to get £2OO to make up the deficiency?” Accused replied: “X know I win have to make that tip, but it is ridiculous to say I have tsken £1,300. This would mean spend£3o a week. I could not have used that if I wanted to.” Ho remarked incidentally that taking small sums from tho till was the practice of every secretary. Accused admitted paying off one old creditor in Taranaki at the rate of £5 a month, and another, £2. Accused said after investigations had been completed that he could not understand the position at ail. He admitted civil liability, but said it was bard to repay the money, because he had not used it. (Proceednig.)