A FALSE DECLARATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21598, 19 March 1932, Page 12

A FALSE DECLARATION

RELIEF WORKER’S HOARD HABITS DESCRIBED AS MISERLY. (Per United Press Association.) ROTORUA, March 18. An elderly man, John Dalton, who admitted that he had obtained over three months’ work on the No. 5 scheme, appeared to-day before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., charged with making a false declaration as to his means in order to obtain relief employment. Dalton, who was arrested in connection with a charge of theft of a child’s tricycle, when searched at the police station, was found to have £532 in not .a in a belt round his waist.

It was stated in court that the accused withdrew the money from the Post Office Savings Bank in order to qualify for work on relief. He was stated' to be a man of miserly habits, but ho obtained a certificate from the foreman of works that he was a worker well above the average. Dalton pleaded guilty to the charge of theft of the tricyle, and was admitted to probation for two years. On the charge of making a false declaration under section 31 of the Unemployment Act, he was fined £5, and ordered to repay the sum (£8 2s 7d) earned on relief.

Dalton offered voluntarily to make this repayment, and the magistrate stated that otherwise lie would have fined him £2O.