FALSE STATEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 72, 26 March 1932, Page 7

FALSE STATEMENT.

RUSE TO OBTAIN WORK. MISLEADING AN OFFICIAL. CHAEGES AGAINST YOUTH. A well set up youth of 19, who looked much older, Kenneth Robert Douglas, labourer, appeared at the Police Court' this morning on two charges. One charge was that at Kumeu, on July 25, 1931, he made a false statement for the purpose of obtaining employment by misleading an official engaged in the administration of the Unemployment Act, arid the other charge that on April 9, 1931, he stole from Gerald Dennis Lennane, in that he received the money and fraudulently omitted to account for it. Douglas pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant Kelly said Lennane asked accused to pay his unemployment levy of 7/G, and handed him the book and the money. Douglas forged the Newton Post Office stamp on the counterfoil and returned the levy book to Lennane, who was under the impression that the amount had been paid. Concerning the other offence, Douglas, who was not 20 until next October, on July 25 last, registered himself, giving his age as 20. That was an offence under the Unemployment Act and, as a result, he obtained employment on a farm at 10/ a week and found. By reason of his false statement he obtained a total sum of £G from the Unemployment Board. "He is doing all right on a farm in the country, and it seems a pity that he has to be brought in on this charge," added Mr. Kelly. "However, the forging of the Newton Post Office stamp is more serious. He has never been in trouble before."

The magistrate, Mr. E. C. Cutten, said the penalty for giving his incorrect age was £20, or one month's imprisonment. However, as accused had made the false statement' in order to obtain employment, he would be fined £1. "The other charge is more serious, and you are liable to a term of imprisonment," the magistrate told Douglas. "I will convict you and order you to come tip for sentence within 12 months if called upon. That will be the means of keeping & hold on you, and, if you get into trouble again, you can be dealt with on this charge as well."