PROPERTY BLACK MARKET

Evening Star, Issue 26041, 4 March 1947, Page 9

PROPERTY BLACK MARKET

SECRET PAYMENT CASE NEAVV FINES IMPOSED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 3. These offences are difficult to detect, and it is the duty of the court to give expression to legislation which is designed to stamp out all black marketing deals,” said Mr L. G. H. Sinclair, S.M., in an oral decision given to-day in a case in which three people were charged with breaches of the Servicemen’s Settlement and, Land Sales Act. He added that the intention of the Act was to require scrupulous honesty by vendors and purchasers in their dealings, and particularly in reference to their disclosure to the Land Sales Court.

i Lillian May Lloyd, a widow, Ernest Merz, a secretary, and William Alfred Cole, a land agent, were charged with being parties to a scheme for a secret payment of £3OO by Mrs Dorothy McMillan to Mrs Lloyd so that Mrs Lloyd would receive £3OO above the price to be fixed by the Land Sales Court for a house and property at Grange road, Mount Eden. Mrs Lloyd was also charged with procuring secret payments of £3OO and £IOO through un agent from Mrs McMillan, and also with being a party to a secret payment of £IOO by Mrs McMillan. Merz was charged with inducing and also procuring Mrs McMillan to make secret payments of £3OO and also £IOO to himself as an agent. Cole was charged with procuring Mrs McMillan to make a secret payment of £3OO and with attempting to induce Mrs McMillan to make a secret payment of £3OO. Pleas of not guilty were entered to all the charges.; After making a summary of the evidence, the-Magistrate said that Cole must bq given the benefit of the doubt. The Magistrate accordingly dismissed the charges against Cole. Merz was convicted on charges of being a party to the scheme in contravention of the Act for payments of £3OO and £IOO. He was fined a mandatory £3OO, plus £SO on the first charge, and was also fined a mandatpry £IOO, plus £SO on the second charge, making a total of £SOO in fines. Mrs Lloyd was convicted of being a party to a scheme for a payment of £3OO, and was fined £25. The remaining charges against Merz and/ Mrs Lloyd were dismissed.

The Magistrate ordered that the £3OO and £IOO relating to the charges on which Merzz was convicted be paid to Mrs McMillan. A certificate was also granted.