CHARGE AGAINST OLD AGE PENSIONERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12400, 13 October 1903, Page 5

CHARGE AGAINST OLD AGE PENSIONERS.

[lit TELEGRAPH I .—-OWN COP.RHSrOXDEKT.] Thames, Monday. At a silting of the Old Age Pension Court to-day, Mr. R. S. Bash, S.M., presiding, two old agfc. pensioners, named John and Rebecca Carpenter (aged respectively 78 and 70 years), were charged with spending their pension in drink and with keeping a disorderly house. Detective Miller deposed that he visited the house oi tire accused on September 16 last, on which occasion he found the female accused drunk in bed in the house. Constable Ceddek deposed that the house occupied by the. accused was a disgrace to the town, and was visited by bad characters. Schilling noises were frequently heard goiiig on in , the house, and the male accused often made use of obscene language. On pension days, and for a week afterwards, the house was one' continuous scene of a, drunken carouse. Another witness described the house and the scenes that took place in it as being of a very disgraceful character. Both the accused strenuously denied spending their pension in drink, and . the male accused said the drink brought in by him whilst the detective Was in his house was purchased with money given him for that purpose by other people. They called a butcher and a grocer with whom they dealt i to prove that they always paid their ,ac- j count regularly every month. They asked ] the magistrate to be lenient with them, and to give them a "chance." , Mr. Bush, iii giving his decision, said he should refuse giving them the chance asked for, and instead would suspend the pension of both of them for a period of six months. At tire end of that time they could make apI plication for a renewal of their pensions, j but before he Would grant the same they ! would have to prove that in the meantime j they had improved in their character and 1 habits. He pointed out to thorn that Wife j pension Was granted to assist them to live i in comfort in their old age, and not as pocket money to idly spend." I I - :