PENALTY FOR THEFT.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1921, Page 5

PENALTY FOR THEFT.

OFFICIAL’S BREACH OF TRUST. COMMENT BY THE JUDGE. By Telegraph.— Pre*-. Auckland. Last Night. At the Supreme Court to-day William Leslie Foster was sentenced to one Fear’s imprisonment for theft and receiving goods valued at £662 8s 7d. the property of his employer®. Albert Edward Mark wick, formerly town clerk of Whangarei. was sentenced to one vear’s imprisonment for the theft of £547, received on behalf of the Borough Council and the Whangarei branch of the Patriotic Association. In imposing sentence. Mr. Justice Stringer said that judges ahnost invariably, except in special circumstances, refused to admit to probation men in positions of trust who abused that trust. He ?ould not allow the fact that restitution riad been made to influence hie decision to any extent. It would be a most improper thing if it could be supposed rhat because a man happened to -have friends able and willing to assist him he should, in the eyes of the law, be in i more advantageous position than one who could not make the losses good. William Lankshear Waters, delivery clerk, and Herbert Cummin a tally clerk, were found guilty on charges of theft of goods valued at £482 from the Queen’s wharf shed. A carter named \S illiam Compton, who was convicted and sentenced by the Magistrate for complicity m the' thefts, was the chief Witness. * The jury recommended mercy on a* count of youth and sentence was d*-ierred.