BREACHES OF STAMP ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 7

BREACHES OF STAMP ACT.

PLEA QF IGNORANCE RAISED-

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE FINED.

A justice of the peace named Charles Frederick Bolton appeared at. the Polic* Court yesterday on four charges of committing breaches of the Stamp Duty Act. The defendant admitted the breaches, bitf stated that his error was tbo result at ignoranco of the law.

' Chief-Detective McMahon stated thai Bolton had been asked by a woman friend who was going away on a holiday to take charge of her business affairs. This ho agreed to do. Amongst the duties ho undertook was the collection of the rent due on a house, the amount of £1 Is being payable weekly. The payments had been allowed to stand over at various times, and the sum of £3 3s was collected on four occasions. The receipts in the rentbook were not stamped. "Ho is a man," added Mr. McMahon, " whom one would expect to havo a knowledge of the law."

Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M.: Wliv, what ia he?

Mr. McMahon: He's a justice of the peace. Mr. Frazer: Oh, well, that dnea not nccessa.i'y imply a knowledgo of tho law! (Laughter.) Tho defendant stated that all tho dates in the book were entered 12 months ago. Ho had refused to accept cheques from tho tenant, and as a result the weekly payment had been held over on several occasions. Bolton added that .!u>-j iv had any intention < :" committing ... breach H the law he would not bav biacketed t! overdue payments, and the'eH have p' ■ a clear indication that th .■ joints not been made weekly. He. was not a m . man, and did not want to defraud the Government of its due.

The Magistrate: There's a possibility, of course, that he did it in ignorance.. Mr. McMaiion : It is most extraordinary that breaches of this kind are usually committed by people who are well off. The Magistrate: Yen, and they are usually connected with the collection of rents. Mr. Frazer added that the question of deliberation would bo left out of consideration in this case. Revenue cases, however, were always treated' as somewhat serion9, and therefore Bolton would be fined £1 in regard to each breach, which, with the costs, would make a total amount of £5 Bs.