CIGARETTE COUPONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20897, 12 June 1931, Page 12

CIGARETTE COUPONS.

CHARGES OF RECEIVING. TOBACCO FIRM'S LOSS. TWO WOMEN GIVEN PROBATION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. As the result of missing between 40,000 and 50,000 returned cigarette coupons, W. D. and H. O. Wills (N.Z.), Limited, instituted inquiries, and Dorothy Madalino Major and Rita May Manning, both married women, were to-day charged in the Police Court with receiving from Elizabeth Haines about 8000 certificates, valued at £33 6s Bd, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Major was further charged with receiving from Bessie Burton about 9000 certificates under similar circumstances. Evidence was given that when certificates came back to the firm in return for gifts they were placed in locked bins. When tho firm came to destroy them, some thousands were missed. At tho same time a corresponding increase was noticed in the number of coupons being exchanged for gifts. A watch was kept, and Hanning was found trying to dispose of a large quantity. It was then found that Major had purchased about 9000 coupons from one of the firm's employees. Both accused went to tho firm's promises and obtained about 8000 certificates from Elizabeth Haines. The total value of tho coupons accused had handled was about £7O. The magistrate adopted the suggestion of the woman probation officer and admitted Major to three years' probation, and Hanning to two years' probation.