INDIANS' SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1942, Page 6

INDIANS' SCHEME

EVADING FINANCE BAN

GAOL TERMS IMPOSED

What was characterised iby the Magistrate as a "deliberate scheme" on the part of two Indian fruit hawkers was revealed in the court today when Ramah Madhav pleaded guilty before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., to seven charges of breaches of the Finance Regulations, and Dullabh Madhav pleaded guilty to five charges of a similar nature. The two men were stated to have sent considerable sums of money to India, using assumed names in order to gain permission to remit the money. A sentence of three months' imprisonment with hard labour was imposed in each case.

Detective-Sergeant W. McLennan, prosecuting, said that the accused made application for drafts under assumed names. Prior to the offences being committed, they had sent quite considerable sums out of the country, but unfortunately the time limit with respect to the laying of informations for these had expired. Ramah Madhav had sent £616 15s out of the country, and Dullabh Madhav £430.

"This matter," said Mr. McLennan, "is looked upon by the Treasury Department as a serious offence, and may result in restrictions being imposed upon people who are genuine."

Counsel for the accused, Mr. G. H. M. Moir, said that the offences were committed solely for the purpose of fulfilling an honest obligation. Ramah, the elder of the two, came to New Zealand in 1927, his father having carried on a business for some time previously. In 1934 the father went back to India, taking Ramah with him, but the father remained there, leaving substantially the whole of his money in New Zealand. In India the family

inherited some vacant land, and built a home with money they raised from Indian moneylenders or financiers. This was an amount of 26,000 rupees, or about £2600. PAYING OFF THfe HOME. In 1937, continued counsel, Ramah came back, but his father and mother remained in India in the family home. Up to the time of the coming into force of the regulations,, the defendants had sent approximately £1600 to India in discharge of the debt to the moneylenders. When the regulations came into force the young men, who, according to Indian custom, were under" their father's jurisdiction, concocted this scheme for meeting their obligations, hoping that in time they would pay off the home and return to India and live with the family.

"These two were quite ignorant of the conditions in New Zealand, or substantially so," said counsel, "and their purpose was an honest desire to fulfil an honest purpose."

"It seems to have been quite a deliberate scheme," said the Magistrate, "and they must have known more than you suggest about condition? in New Zealand." His Worship then imposed the sentences as stated above.