WAR PRISONER’S WIFE

Grey River Argus, 23 May 1942, Page 1

WAR PRISONER’S WIFE

DREW DOUBLE ALLOWANCE. p.A. WELLINGTON, Mav 22. Helen Graham Gawne, a married woman, pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court to-day to seven charges of obtaining from the New Zealand Government sums of money totalling 129 8s 6d bv false pretences. Th--> Magistrate, Mr. Stilwell, placed her on probation. Detective Sergeant W. McLennan said that the .defendant was drawing an allowance on account of her husband, who is a prisoner of war. ■ She had represented to the Army that she was the wife of another soldier she knew, and she had drawn an allowance on his account also. It was regarded as a serious matter.

Mr. C. J. O’Regan, for the defendant, said that the man concerned had taken the initial step bv filling in papers representing. that the defendant was his wife. She had acquiesced. , -