Peters Of The Pensions

NZ Truth, 15 March 1924, Page 7

Peters Of The Pensions

TOURISTS WITH A THOUSAND. Three Years For Husband. The day of reckoning for Nicholas Peters and his wife, Olive Mavis Peters, came last week ln Wellington, when the scales of justice for tho occasion wero held by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). The husband was formerly m tho employ of the Pensions Department In Wellington. Towards the end of last year he conceived tho Idea of working a coup, and made out vouchers to a total of £975, to be collected at various post offices ln the North Island. He and his wife then hit the trail, and she Impersonated the persons to whom tho moneys wero due at the various post offices. The pair then left for Melbourne, and had cut tho lot out when arrested three months or so later. Lawyer Perry, addressing the Bench, stated that Peters was 25 years of age and his wife 23. There were two children, aged four and three years respectively. He urged that the wife hud been brought Into the affair through the dominance of her husband, and had at first strenuously protested against tho procedure. "Thiß ls a peculiar case, and one that !r. hard to understand," said his Honor. "The young man had a good position, was well paid (his salary was £4 12s 6d a week), and should havo been able to keep his wife nnd himself, but instead of being sotisflcd ho starts on a career of fraud." He would, however, take into consideration the fact that tho couple bnd not nttempted to brazen it out. but had pleaded guilty right off. Peters would bo sentenced to thrco yours' reformative detention, while the wife would bo ndmltted to probation , for two years. .One of tho conditions of tho probation would be that sho must not leave th<- home m which nho is living after 6 o'clock at night.