PENSIONER’S FALSEHOOD

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1929, Page 9

PENSIONER’S FALSEHOOD

SUPERANNUATION NOT DISCLOSED By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night/’ James Whitlaw Ramsay appeared oil remand in the city Police Court to-daj before Mr. H. W, Bundle, S, M., on v , charge of making a false statemen under the Pensions Act in that he di< not disclose all moneys that were comin: to him. He was ordered to come up fo sentence if called upon within five years Chief-Detective Cameron said the offi cer in charge of the local pensions brane! had been advised by the head office -to withhold £1 a week which had hitherto been paid to Mrs. Ramsay. There'was no mention of restitution. Defendan Could now receive £3 per week as pen sion.

Counsel for defendant suggested that the department, knowing Ramsay was a railway servant, might have made more searching inquiries. As it was Ramsay contended the money lying with the Railway Department was his own and thought ho was not bound to disclose it. Tho Pensions Department apparently thought lie was only a casual railway servant and tho question of superannuation did not come into it. H Defendant’s status was 75 per cent, disabled; it was almost impossible for him to work. He was a South African war veteran and had also served during the Great War. The department’s desira to have circulated that all sources of income must bo disclosed had been well served by this case., . The magistrate said it was due to pensioners to disclose fully in their applications the receipt and source of all money received. It was not Jone in this case with the result that the large sum of £650 was overpaid. Taking into consideration the physical infirmities of defendant it was impossible to make' any satisfaction in all respects. Ramsay would bo convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within five years. A pound a week would be deducted off either his or his wife’s pension, leave to be reserved to the Pensions Department to make application for a further reduction at any-time within five years.