CLOTHING WITHOUT COUPONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1944, Page 2

CLOTHING WITHOUT COUPONS

PROSECUTION FAILS,

WELLINGTON, June 15. The first prosecution in the Dominion under the Rationing Emergency Regulations, of 1942, was heard, yesterday, before Mr. Harley S.M., at Lower Hutt, when Vance Vivian Ltd. were charged that at the firm’s Lower Hutt branch, the sale of ration clothing had been made without requiring the purchaser to surrender coupons. Evidence was given by two inspectors of the purchase of two articles of men’s wear, which were rationed. They had, before finally leaving the shop, revealed their identity, and the salesman, a youth, stated he had forgotten to ask for the coupons until just as the inspectors were stating "who they were. Vance, managing director, gave evidence stating that he had taken every step possible to see that, the regulations were obeved. Notices were posted in the shops and he had written personal letters to each employee. The salesman, in evidence said that during. rhe sale, the inspectors had conducted a friendly conversation, and until they turned back as they were leaving he had not realised his omission.

Dismissing the charge under power to treat the matter as trivial, Mr. Harley said the Government had very properly set up control of certain goods during the war, and had rightly stipulated for heavy penalties for breaches. It must also be admitted that regulations must be unswervingly obeyed and enforced, or they would become a dead letter. However, they .should be enforced . with common sense, and not concerning every technical breach. If an evasion was deliberate, they should be enforced with exemplary penalty, but no good purpose could be served in the case, of merely technical breaches by giving /:ver normal penalties. “I am perfectly satisfied with Vance’s evidence and also with Matthews, and indeed with all evidence. I am satisfied that Matthews did temporarily forget to collect coupons, and I will dismiss the charge/