FURTHER SUSTENANCE FRAUDS

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 July 1937, Page 7

FURTHER SUSTENANCE FRAUDS

all should be prosecuted. MAGISTRATE ’ S REMARKS. /Bv Telegraph —Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Last Night. The view that it was the duty of the Labour Department to prosecute in every case where it was satisfied that a man on sustenance had deliberately made a false declaration to obtain a benefit to which he was not entitled under the Employment Promotion Fund, was expressed by Mr. C. R. Orr- a ter, S.M., in the Police Court, when a further ten offenders were fined. ‘‘There are many cases throughou - New Zealand where hardships have been involved where the Department \ has made arrangements with the offenders to re-pay sums dishonestly obtained without taking tem o Court,” said Mr. A. T. Grandison, district employment’officer of Uopqr.tment, when prosecuting Joseph Fletcher Nicoll on a charge of making a false statement. “Investigations sometimes disclose special circumstances which warrant some leniency being extended to offenders. This is one such ease.” Illness in defendant’s family had aggravated the hardships of living on relief pay and had doubtless increased the temptation for defendant to augment his income by 'making a false declaration, said Mr. Grandison. The circumstances caused the Department to defer Court action and give the offender an opportunity of refunding by reasonable instalments, but only two payments were made. “The Department considers that, if it were now denied the power to exercise the right of processes previously withheld, it would be forced to refuse consideration in many cases similar to this where severe hardship would warrant deferring legal action, ’' Mr. Grandison added. x “The Department should not differentiate just because it thinks a man s domestic affairs are hard,” said the Magistrate. “In matters such as that before the Court,. virtual theft is involved, and offenders should be prosecuted. The Court should be allowed to decide the matter of penalty.” Nicoll was fined £5 and costs 10s.

HEAVY FINE UNDER EMPLOYMENT ACT. AUCKLAND, 'July 16. A fine ol £IOO and costs was Imposed by Mr, C. R. Orr Walker, S.R., in tlie Police Court to-day when Joseph Hood was charged with making a false statement under the Employment Promotion Act. A Department of Labour official said Hood registered in .1983 as a married Joan; in July of ,last year he and a woman he had .been living with went to- England. On his return he imme* diately registered for relief again, describing himself as married. At no time did Hood disclose what amount of money was held by the woman with whom he lived, the official stated, adding that he had received £IOO 3s in excess of whaf he was entitled to. Counsel for Hood said he was previously a ship’s steward, but had been unable to obtain employment for six years. “It seems to be a very deliberate case,” said the Magistrate in imposing the fine.