MUDDLED ACCOUNTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 898, 15 February 1930, Page 13

MUDDLED ACCOUNTS

CARELESSNESS LEADS MAN TO COURT FINED £lO FOR THEFT A system o£ accounting, by which employer and employee had a balance only about once in IS months, was responsible lor the appearance in the Police Court this morning ot Robert Henry Heaslip, according- to Mr. Clark, who appeared for him. Accused was fined £lO and ordered to make restitution of £2O. Described as a farm hand, aged 26, Heaslip was charged with failing to account for £2O received from Kone Car on terms requiring him to account for it to David Zohs. The offence was stated to have been committed at Naike, near Huntly, on August 1. Counsel entered a plea of guilty and a second charge in respect of £S 10s was withdrawn. According to Chief-Detective Hammond, Heaslip was a farm labourer, employed by Zohs. He also drove a lorry for his employer, who was engaged on a cream carting contract. Heaslip had been collecting /amounts for Zohs and the accounts had become very muddled. The £2O had been a deposit on a car sold by Zohs. “Heaslip Is a hard worker and this is his first appearance before the Court.” added the. chief-detective. “He is a single man.” Heaslip had been working for Zohs for six or seven years, Mr. Clark said. Zohs had taken a cream carting contract and Heaslip drove the lorry and also did general carrying work. For all that he was paid £8 a month and given his keep. Zohs never gave, Heaslip any money for pet) A for the lorry or freight charges th. t had to be paid at the railway. These amounts were paid out of the sums collected by Heaslip. About every 18 months there was a settling up and sometimes Heaslip owed his employer money and at others Heaslip could claim arrears of wages. Heaslip had thought the £2O would be included in the general accounting, but left his employment and the £2O was not settled. There was certainly nothing criminal in the man’s actions. Counsel suggested probation or a fine and remarked that accused’s sister would make immediate restitution. Heaslip was fined £lO and ordered to make restitution of £2O in default three .months’ imprisonment.