OFFICIAL GAOLED.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19883, 12 May 1936, Page 8

OFFICIAL GAOLED.

CASE FROM TE KUITI. . . PLEA BY COUNSEL. (By Telegraph—Press Assoeietion.) AUCKLAND, Tuesday. Richard Cleverdon. formerly em—ployed by the Lands and Survey Department, Te Kuiti, was sentenced to two years‘ reformative detention by Mr Justice Fair in the Supreme Court yesterday. The accused pleaded guilty to 14 charges of theft involving £391. Mr E. .\I. Mackersey said the prisoner had been employed by the Lands and Survey Department since he re—turned from the war in 1918. In 1922 he was transferred to Dunedin as col—lector of rents and inspector of securities. and three years later he was sent to Te Kuiti as field inspector of that very wide and important district. Even in normal times he had a strenuous time, but when the depression developed in 1931 his work was doubled or trebled. At the same time he suffered a suhslautial reduction of pay from £395 to £319. In 1932 the tirown took over ‘2O abandoned farms in his area, and he “as in charge of their developn'ient by unemployed labour. In one period of 10} months he received 3:675 letters in his office. and most of these required inspection of properties and lengthy reports. It “as quite impossible for him to do the work expected of him. Distinguished War Career. It was agreed that he hart been a highly emcient officer, well thought of both by the CrOwn and by the general public. He not hopelessly in arrears with his (‘lerical correspondence and returns. and the result was that cer~ tain moneys were paid into his private account. He had had a particularly distinguished and honourable career at the war. where he was awarded first the .\l..\[i and then the D.C._\l., and ““5 SEWl‘elY Wounded. Against the 23:15 that had been taken there was L‘B-ii accumulated supei-annuauo“. The Crown Prosecutor, .\lr \'_ R. Meredith, said the man‘s distinguished war rerord matte his lapse all the murr sxlll and regrettable.