SOLICITORS GAOLED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 140, 6 November 1914, Page 8

SOLICITORS GAOLED.

FOR, THEFT OF CLIENTS' MONIES. : Bt 'l'-ie^rgph.—Per I'Tcwfl Assiviotion Christchurch, Last Night. Two solicitors, guilty of misappropriation of moneys, were sentenced to terms of imprisonment by Justice Sim at the Supreme Court this'morning. Thomas Maude, convicted of the theft of £IO9O from Elizabeth Barncstt, leaded guilty to the theft of £2400 from James Copland. The prisoner had nothing to say why sentence should not be imposed on him. His Honor said both offences were of a serious nature, and it was his duty to inflict a substantial term. Prisoner would

be sentenced to three years' hard labor on each indictment, terms to be concurrent. Frank Bowring Turner, who had pleaded guilty to the fraudulent conversion of. £77 ISs Id, belonging to Anne Jean Burgess, also came up for sentence. His Honor said that in regard to the misappropriation of clients' moneys by solicitors, the general rule was that prisoner must undergo imprisonment. It liad been pointed out by prisoner's counsel that the rule might be overlooked,, owing to prisoner's drinking and muddled state. That did not, however, seem to His Honor, to justify a departure from the general rule, and with regard to

prisoner not having an order to pay over the money, if prisoner had had a desire to pav his client he could have got over the difficulty by sending a dfaft to Sydney. There were other circumstances in the case, however, which he would take into consideration. Prisoner would bo sentenced to six months' gaol.