CERTIFYING OFFICER CHARGED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 25 January 1934, Page 4

CERTIFYING OFFICER CHARGED

POLICE COURT PROCEEDINGS [By Telegraph—Press Association] GISBORNE, This Day. Charles Goldsmith appeared before Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Police Court this morning to answer a number of charges iii connection with his duties as certifying officer under the Unemployment Act. Accused, who is manager of the Waiapu Farmers’ CoOperative Company at Tikitiki, and was appointed certifying officer for the Native Department’s unemployment relief schemes early in 19.12, appeared on 10 charges, 8 of obtaining sums of money from the Government with intent to defraud by means of false pretences, and eight of making false entries in material particulars in certificates of the completion of ■work under the native unemployment scheme.

The Crown Prosecutor, Mr F. W. Nalon, had charge of the prosecution when the hearing commenced at noon and Mr A. A. Whitehead appeared for accused, while Mr L. T. Burnard watched proceedings on behalf of the Waiapu Farmers’ Co-operative Company. The Crown Prosecutor, after describing the accused’s duties as certifying officer under the Unemployment Act. asserted that the practice followed by accused was to inflate the cost of a job by the amount of loan money repayable to the Government by the owner of the property on which Work was to be done. For eaxmple, in a job to cost £4O, £lO might b 6 loan money. Accused would inflate the contract and the balance fould be refunded to the Government as repayment of the loan. The refund actually was therefore provided by the Government itself. In some cases it would be shown that Native labourers, had not been paid cash, but that the money went to the Waipu Farmers’ Company to reduce the labourers’ indebtedness.