ALIEN’S FALSE STATEMENT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 205, 27 May 1944, Page 8

ALIEN’S FALSE STATEMENT

German Woman Fined £lO 5 Charged under the Alien Emergency Regulations with making a false statement to the police, Charlotte Margate Falk, aged 41 a married woman of German nationality, was fined £lO and costs in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday. She pleaded not guilty. . It was stated in evidence’ that defendant had been a resident of the country since December 16. 1937. Under the regulations she was not allowed to travel more than 20 miles, or remain away from her registered residence for more .than 24 hours without a permit. On April 11 last ghe applied to the Aliens Branch for a permit to travel to Christchurch.. She stated in her application that a friend, a Mrs. Harding; had had a nervous breakdown and she wished to go and stay with her to look after her. She signed the application form giving these particulars and the permit was issued. The Christchurch police later found she was not staying with Mrs. Harding, and that Mrs. Harding had not had any breakdown. In a statement she later made to the police, which was produced and read in Court, defendant said she had recently had a nervous breakdown and the doctor nod advised her to go away for a change. She said she told the Aliens Branch that she, and not Mrs. Harding, bad the breakdown. She had signed the application without An officer of the Aliens Branch stated that great care had been Liken in respect of defendant because of her association with a naval officer.- There might be nothing wrong in it. but from the point of view of security great care was necessary. She had previously been associated with the officer in Napier. y" In a statement to the Court, defendant said she was very excited at the prospect of the holiday when she went to apply for the permit. The meeting with the naval officer in Christchurch was purely by chance in the streel. She had not known he was there. Iler nervous breakdown had been caused through interference with her private affairs. Mr. Stout, S.M.. imposed a fine of £lO, with costs. “If you do it again you will be sent to prison,” he remarked..