FALSE STATEMENT MADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 12

FALSE STATEMENT MADE

RELIEF WORK APPLICANT CASE BROUGHT AS WARNING A charge of having made a false statement for tho purpose of obtaining benefit under the Unemployment Act was denied by Harry Williams, a single man, in the Otahuhu Police Court yesterday. Mr. E. H. Birchall, representing tho Labour Department, said that defendant completed registration forms for the purpose of seeking relief work on June 22 at Otahuhu. In reply to the question on the forms regarding income he stated his earnings for the previous six months amounted to £4B. Inquiries had been made by tho department and it was ascertained that between December last and April of this year defendant had earned £B7 12s in employment at one of the Westfield works. Defendant had later made a statement admitting this and offering to make restitution. Defendant had only received relief for one week at 15s, and while even on the correct statement ho might have been entitled to relief, tho department had brought tho case forward as a warning to other seasonal workers, said Mr. Birchall. Defendant said he did not know the statement was incorrect at the time ho completed it. Ho explained ho was irj part-time employment and had calculated his wages over the period employed i-t what ho thought was an averago weekly amount. lie finished work in February last and had refrained from seeking relief for four months. The magistrate, Mr. F. H. Levien, said defendant could easily have verified his earnings at little expense and inconvenience by telephoning to his late employers. " In these times, when there is an abnormal call on tho unemployment fund, applicants should take avery care to see that their statements aro correct, so that tho amount availablo will go round," said Mr. Levicn. Defendant was fined £1 and 10s costs.