DELIBERATE FRAUDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 196, 17 February 1914, Page 2

DELIBERATE FRAUDS.

(rSTOM.S OFFICERS SFNTENTED. By Telegraph—l'ress Association. • Christchurcii, Yo-tcrdar. .Mr. .instice Dcmiistoii sentence 1 the prisoners ooiieerncd in the Customs frauds cases, lie said the pri-oncrs had [(leaded guilty to ;t series of deliberate frauds against the Customs and their employers, anil also admitted they were guilty of a large number of i-iinilar frauds, extending over u period of years, not ineluileil in the charges. It was ijiiitc elenr that the system liy which the frauds became possibb had been in existence for many years. Addressin" John M'Cormack, Customs elerk. the Judge ■.and tin- frauds traced to ■l'ini. in eonjniution with C. R.Smith, amounled to £4(>7.'i. It appeared that certain frauds went beyonil three years. John Hill had been in the service seventeen yei*rs and was responsible for misappropriations amounting to finflu durin" the last three vears. He was the owner of property of considerable value, the source of which was not explained. M'Cormaek and Hill were sentenced to three years' imprisonment each. Ernest Walter Wood, who was responsible for misappropriations of £2501) m three years, had spent it in self-indul„ei<c" and, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Tho other sentences were: James Campbell, Hugh Owen, and Francis iU'igh, eighteen months' imprisonment, C. I>. Smith, twelve months' imprisonment. George Vrnneis, who offended for a brief period only, under severe temptation, lira* orderml to come up for sentence when called upon. Mr. Justice Denniston added that he would recommend that Wood, Campbell, Dwen, Lei"h, and dmith he sent to prison camps.