AN EXEMPLARY FINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15055, 26 July 1912, Page 5

AN EXEMPLARY FINE.

TIME AND WAGES BOOK.

"MANUFACTURED EVIDENCE."-

"I propose to show that this time and wages book is a specially faked one," said Mr. Gohns, inspector of awards, when prosecuting L. Mickolo,. restaurant-keeper, Auckland, before Mr. C C. Kettle, S.M., yesterday for a breach of the' Act in. that ho failed to keep a , wages and overtime book.

The inspector of awards, in evidence, stated that ho had called at the restaurant, and asked to see defendant's, time and wages hook. It had hot been produced, but had been shown to him at a later date. He would call two employees to prove that the hook had been purchased after hut first visit, and the entries put in before his second visit. It would bo seen by reference to the book that-a mistake had been made in its compilation, as the employees in question were given credit for having worked a week before their engagement commenced, while the last week of their employment had been forgotten.

At this stage counsel for the defendant (Mr. E. A. Singer) intimated that he would plead' guilty, and. the employees were not called upon to give evidence. A fine of £20 was imposed, the magistrate stating that the offence was a very serious one indeed. Evidence had been manufactured for the purpose of deceiving the inspector, and therefore. l it was a case for an exemplary fine. V .