OFFICERS IN TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 297, 25 May 1915, Page 8

OFFICERS IN TROUBLE.

SF.VEi'AL i'HAUCKH 01-' THEFT. iV LIEUTEXAOT-COLOXEL involved Ey Telegraph.-—Press Association. Puiiedm, Last Xight. At Hilton to-day the charges against Ueutcuant-Colonel J. B. McClymont and Captain -T. R. Henderson, of alleged theft of various sums received for the ] 1 tli (South Otago) Regiment were eal!!d on. Mr. W. C. Macfirogor (Crown Prosecutor) appeared on behalf of the

prosecution, and Mr. 1). Reid and Mr. Thomson defended McClymont. Henderson was lirst charged with stealing, a'hout June 10, 11112, the sum of .CO.") ss, being a portion 'of £1292 Os fid received by liiin in May, 1012, on behalf of the <!overnmcnt for payment of the officers and men of the Hlh Regiment during' a camp at Milton. Mr. Macflregor said that there were several charges against Henderson. Mr. Hamilton, his counsel, was unable, to attend nml had arranged for an adjournment. The case was adjourned until .Tune 1. Mr'Clvmont was charged with stealing about August I), 1.113, £2l 7s, being the amount of a cheque paid to liiin as a, share of the canteen profits of the 1-tth (South Otago) Regiment. Mr Macflregor said there was a series of charges of theft against the accused, nt Milton of the 14t.1i (South Otago) fte'/iment. The books of the regiment cere examined by the Audit Department and found not to be in order. There was a, deficiency of about £.IOO, Pile accounts were not in a satisfactory state. The bank account had been improperly operated on by accused on several .occasions, and the regimental account was not in a satisfactory state. Further inquiry disclosed defalcations for which the accused as commanding officer was responsible. On August 0, lrl.'). Colonel Smith sent a cheque for C2l 7s to the accused, who paid it into his private account at the bank, instead of to the regimental account. Accused said he credited it in private books lie l-pnt, and that he paid out of it certain amounts. Chief Detective Herbert said he saw accused on February f>. Accused admitted receiving a cheque for £2l 7s, and said he r>aid it into his'own private account. He produced a book showing the money credited to the 14th Regiment ("special"), and said what was left was still in the bank, and amounted to £(t 13s ■.'id. The difference was disbursed as follows: £7 for making up the deficit for the regimental ball. £3 to Cleorge Reed for a regimental picnic organised bv himself, £3 5s to the adiiitant for the camp expenses, 16s Id to E. Stewart, leaving £7 3s Id in the private account. He further said the officer commanding the regiment had a right to spend all requirements of nionevs outside the Government grant at his own discretion for the good of the regiment. • The accused reserved his defence, and wa.s committed for trial.

Accused was further charged with the theft of £lO 7s 7<l, being the purchase prion of a cooking range for the officers' moss at the camp. The case for tlio prosecution was that the -payment for the range out of the regimental account was an improper one. The tase was dismissed. The accused was then charged with stealing £3 - I'-is fld, the price paid to Tln,llenstein 'Bros, for a- sword and 'hag presented by him personally to Oeorge Thomas Oatto.

The evidence for the prosecution was to (he effect that Oatto understood the present to he a personal one from the accused, hut that pavment for it was made out of regimental funds. TT. T. Thomson (Government Auditor) said he had attenwted to audit the accounts, and had found a deficiency of about £4OO. Accused was committed for trial. MrClymont was further charged with stealing £SO, the amount of a cheque drawn by him on the banting account of the 14th Regiment on or about March fi, 1913. Counsel for the prosecution stated that early in 1012 accused purchased 000 bed mattresses at Is fid each and sold them at Is 8d each to the regiment. On June 10, 1912, accused gave a cheque in payment, and nearly a year

later ho received another cheque for £SO, so that lie had been paid twice. In his account of the matter accused was somewhat involved, and mentioned the sum of £SO which he held in trust for the hand of the old regiment. Chief Detective Herbert said accused had informed him that the £SO belonged to A Company and the band, and had nothing to do with the 14th Regiment. He got the cheque from Captain Henderson aiid cashed it; paying the money into his private account. He still held it in trust for A Company. The entry in accused's private book was under the heading " 14th Regiment, special." Accused was committed for trial. v Clinrws of stealing £SO and "£25 received bv accused n« commanding officer on behalf of the 14th Regiment from the Drill Hall Trustees wore withdrawn. Mr. Thomson asked if these amounts were included in the £3OO mentioned bv the Audit Inspector aa the amount of the defalcations. Mr. MacGrcgor said he could not say whether they were or not. There would probably be further charges, and counsel could refer to the matter again. Accused was admitted to bail, himself in £'2oo and one surety of £2OO.