72
13
period arrived (February 1861)
Mr Gunthorpe
was in charge of the department, Mr Newman being confined to his bed by illness. Gunthorpe's duty applied to on receiving fees for licenses and was to think quite clear, and there had been no irregularities on the part of his immediate predecessor in the mode of dealing with these licenses to perplex him. The last license issued had been No. 238 granted by Mr. Inglis in the previous April. The records of the department showed that on that occasion the fee was credited in the Books of the Office and in the collector's monthly account, and the amount paid into the Treasury.
Mr. Gunthorpe however did not follow this precedent, but received the fees without entering them in either the books of the Office or his monthly accounts, and the money never reached the Treasury.