A SOLDIER'S PENSION

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1923, Page 7

A SOLDIER'S PENSION

FALSE STATEMENT ALLEGED.

\ The trial wae concluded at the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon of , a young man named John Craig Neill, who ivas charged with making a, false statement in order to obtain a supplementary war pension. Mr. Justice Heed presided, Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr. A. Gray, K.C., with him Mr. J. Scott, for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. It was stated by Mr. Macassey that the accused was employed at the labour Department, and was also in receipt of apension of £2 10s per week, to which amount he was entitled in view of the fact that he was suffering from iJlhealth. There was also provision in the Act for the payment of a supplementary pension of £1 per week for unemployed soldiers. In order to get this pension, said Mr. Macassey, the accused had stated that he was not working. On behalf of the prisoner, Mr. Gray, after detailing various examinations which had been made of accused, said that there was nothing in the Act which said that the pension was only to be granted to ,one who wee not workine but it was suggested by the Crown that the pension.would not have been granted to the accused if he had stated he was employed. Neill had never been before the War Pensions Board, and had never been questioned by anybody except by medical officers or those present at medical examinations.

After a retirement of over two hours the jury returned with a^-erdict of not guilty. The jury added a rider to the ettect that pensioners should be required to sign a declaration that the answers of questions put to them were correct