FALSE DECLARATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 14

FALSE DECLARATIONS.

■ 1 1 WAR PENSIONER'S OFFENCES. EMPLOYMENT NOT DISCLOSED. "LUCKY NOT TO BE IMPRISONED." "You are lucky I am not sending you to prison," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday when a re turned soldier, Reginald Alfred Anderson (Mr. C. A. Snedden), pleaded guilty to 12 charges, each relating to a different month, from September, 1925, to August, 1926, of presenting to the postmaster at Wellesley Street a signed declaration that he had been unemployed during the pre vious month. Sub Inspector Lew in said defendant was m receipt of a war pension of £l4 Is Bd_ a month, In August, 1925,-the pension was increased to £ls ,3s 4d. Defendant made, declarations that he had been unemployed. On August 4 last he called at tjio T'ensions Office and stated he had not earned anything during the previous sixmonths and was totally dependent on the pension. . During the whole of the 12 months defendant had, in fact, been in employment, and had been earning £4 8s a week. He had been overpaid to the extent of £7O .1? Id. He was married with three children. Mr. Snedden said defendant volunteered for active service at the ago of 19. He was badly wounded at the. battle of the Somme in September, 1916, and was in valided home. He was still subject to frequent breakdowns and it was impossible for him to be sure of regular employment. In September, 1925, he was given only a relieving position, and in. October and November, 1925, he was out of employ merit, owing to illness. He could never be sure how long he would be at. work. The Magistrate: Well, he was only asked to say when he had been at \Vork. Mr. Snedden added that defendant had been paying £lO a month in rent, which left him only about £4. He found this was not much to keep himself and his family and he had stooped to this subterfuge to enable him to keep them properly. The money had been spent on his family and not on himself. The magistrate said the Pensions Office must be protected against such frauds. However, he would take into consideration the circumstances described by counsel. Defendant, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and was ordered to refund £7O Is Id at the rate of 10s a week.