UNEMPLOYMENT LEVIES

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1931, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT LEVIES

FIRST PROCEEDINGS TAKEN

SEVEN FINES FOR LATE PAYMENT.

“PENALTIES WILL BE INCREASED.”

Tlie first proceedings at New Plymouth for non-payment of levies on due dates were taken by the Unemployment Board yesterday. Seven men were each fined 10s and costs, Mr. 11. W. Tate, S.M., explaining that this being in the nature of a warning he would not make the fines heavier. 'However, if it were found that the offence continued the penalties would be increased considerably. The magistrate said the offence unaer the Act was default for more than one month in the payment of the levy. This rendered a man liable to summary conviction and a maximum fine of £5, besides the 6d for each month overdue that tlie post office was entitled to charge. He had noticed that in W clliimton Mr. E. Page, S.M., was making the fines £l. The levy must be paid. If men considered' they could not pay they should make.representations to the proper authority. It must be understood there was no responsibility on the Labour Department or tlie police to look people up to inform them of their obligations under tlie Act. If they did not pay they committed an offence. The men fined were Edward Drake Ansford (costs 12s), Leslie John Sanger (costs 12s), Frank Ashman (costs 12s), Lionel Bishop (costs 12s), Albert Percy Adair (costs 10s), Herbert Lock (costs 10s) and Joseph Anderson (costa 10s). Anderson, who pleaded not guilty, explained that his registration had been made by someone else and he had not received a book. Ho received the summons about six weeks after the levy was paid. . Norman Arthur was similarly charged, but was unable to attend the com t. He was granted an adjournment for a week on the application of Mr. G. 1. Smith (for the board) so that he would have the opportunity of making an explanation. , Mr. C. E. Monaghan asked for leniency for Ansford, a farmer at Omata, who did not come into the town very often. He realised the position now and had paid promptly when_ the matter was brought to his attention. All the amounts due by the men concerned had now been paid, together with the penalties of 6d a month attached for delay, said Mr. Smith. He pointed out that the money was required for the prevention and relief of unemployment, and it was important that the amounts should be paid promptly. In these cases the men had had to be interviewed by the police, and this involved a good deal of trouble. Although they were the first cases here, there had been prosecutions in. other parts of the .Dominion, and a good deal of publicity had been given to the matter.