CIGARETTE COUPONS

Grey River Argus, 12 June 1931, Page 8

CIGARETTE COUPONS

WELLINGTON WOMEN. CONVICTED OF FRAUDS. WELLINGTON, June 11. Having missed between forty anj fifty thousand returned cigarette coupons, W. D. and H. O. Wills, Ltd., instituted an inquiry as the result of which Mrs Dorothy Madeline Major and Rita May Hanning, were charged with receiving from Elizabeth Haines, about 8000 certificates valued at £33 6s Bd, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Mrs Dorothy Major was further charged with receiving from Bessie Burton about 9000 certificates under similar circumstances.

Evidence was given that when the certificates came back to the firm in return for gifts, they were placed in locked bins. When the firm came to destroy them, some fortv or fifty thousand were missed. At the same time a corresponding increase was noticed in the number of coupons being exchanged for gifts. A watch was kept and Mrs Hanning was found trying to dispose of a large quantity. It was then found that Mrs Major had purchased about 9000 from one of the firm’s employees. Both of the accused went down to the firm’s premises and obtained about 8000 certificates from Elizabeth Haines. The total value of the coupons the accused had handled was about £7O. The Magistrate adopted the suggestion of the woman Probation Officer, and admitted Mrs Major to three years’ probation, and Mrs Hanning to two years ’ probation.