OLD AGE PENSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12408, 22 October 1903, Page 7

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

'■&%. H. W. BRABANT, S.M., held a sitting of the Old Age Pensions Court yesterday, when the following new pensions were granted:--Margaret Lawler, £12; Elisabeth Jane Green, £18; Harriet Lengdill, £3; James Moir, £18. - The Deputy flegistx-ar of Pensions (Mr. Ruddock) made an application against William Green to recover ilie sum or £14, excess oi »eu<sion. paid" during tlio past two years. Mr. ti. Mays appeared on behalf of the Crown Solicitor, ana Mr. J. it. liundou for the defence. Mr. Mays stated tnat on deienuant Btating his annual income to bo £*>, ho hail been granted £7 pension lor two years. . lno Department now sought ito recover this on the ground that his income had been ascertained to be £62 per annum, and delcuuani, was therefore not ■entitled to a pension. Counsel for the defence admitted that ius Client had received the amount claimed, ana that he was not entitled to receive any pension whatever. The case was adjourned until November 10, in. order to enable Mr. Lunctcn I to call evidence in regard to his clients' character. 'At the Police Court, before Mr. T. Hutchison, S.M., Matilda Hill, widow, living at 'Otahuhu, was charged on three informations with having, at Otahuhu. in lftX), 1901, ana 1902. made wiliully-false statements enabling her to obtain a pension continuously lor lour years at a greater amount, than that to wlricu gho was entitled. The evidence for the prosecution had been heard before Mr. Hutchison at Otahuhu, and the case adjourned to the Auckland Police Court for defendant to make her statement. It had been ad nutted at Otahuhu by defendant's counsel that his client in 1900 had had £83 in the Auckland Savings Bank, £65 in 1901. and £57 in 1902. i It was also admitted that she had a third interest, worth £10, in some property in Grey Lynd and that none of these facta were disclosed when the renewals were obtained Mr. A. Blair (on behalf of the Hon. J. A. Tole anwarod for the prosecution yesterday, arid Mr• McGregor for the defence. Defendant's counsel called Mrs. Hill, who stated that the money which she had had in her name Jit the bank was not hers, but her children a. AT administratrix for her late husband she &A held it in trust for them. His Worship said that seeing that the money .was he d defendant in trust for the children she was 25 therefore guilty of fraudulent cealment That being so, the cases would he d™ missed Mr. Blair asked His Worship to rivff decision on the question of ordertaß nrefund of the amounts alleged to have toen overpaid, but His Worship said that he would deal with that, when next he sat at Otahuhu. ■ ,„, _