A WAR PENSION

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 287, 21 August 1923, Page 8

A WAR PENSION

FALSE DECLARATIONS ALLEGED RETURNED SOLDIER CHARGED The Commissioner of Pensions proceeded against a young man named John Craig Neil) in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on two charges of having falsely represented to Dr. Benwick. an officer doing duty in. connection with the War Pensions Act, that he was unemployed at the time of his application for a pension and a supplementary pension were made. Mr. P s K. Macassey conducted tho prosecution. while Mr. J. A. Scott appeared for the accused. Mr. Macassey stated that proceedings were takfen under section 20 of the War Pensions Act, 1915, winch rendered the accused liable to a fine of £lOO. or twelve months’ imprisonment. The accused was a returned soldier, who had been discharged from the Pukeora Sanatorium on December 18. 1920. He received a pension on his discharge, but on the date mentioned in the information ho told Dr. Fenwick that he was not working, and as a result of this. Deceived a supplementary pension. “Although he said that he was unemployed,” proceeded Mr. Macassey, “it will be shown that at this time he was working for title Labour Department, at a salary of £235 per annum.” Dr. Fenwick stated in evidence that the War Pensions Department sent applicants to him to be examinled. On December 20, 1922, the accused had come to him. and had stated that he was not working. Witness produced a report, dated December 26, 1923, in which he certified that the accused’s disability was 100 per cent, for six months. The accused had made a. statement then that he was not employed at work. Hector James Aekens, inspector for the War Pensions Department, said he attended at Dr. Fenwick’s surgery when applicants for pensions were being examined. Witness was present on both occasions when the accused was examined by Dr. Fenwick. In answer to a question, accused stated that he was not working.

Charles Dunn, clerk in the War Pensions Departmant, produced an application for a pension signed by accused on April 16, 1918. Accused' was discharged from tho forces on May 8, 1918, and suffered from pleurisy. He had received a pension of £2 10s. since June, 1919. He had been discharged from tho Pukeora Sanatorium on December 8, 1919. He had a supplementary pension of £1 per week on the basis of 100 per <ont. incapacity, which was paid to January, 1922. ,If the Department had known he was working for ordinary wages at the Labour Department he would not have been granted the supplementary pension.

C. A. Borendson, Chief Clerk of tbe Labour Department, '•tated that accused joined the Labour Department staff in 1915, -.erved till he enlisted, and resumed duty in 1918, until he went on sick leave. He resumed duty on January 6, 1921. He had been on full pay since that date until July 10. 1923.

Accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court <n the same bail as before.