BOOKS WITHHELD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20284, 6 December 1935, Page 12

BOOKS WITHHELD

FARMER BEFORE COURT At a sitting of the Timaru Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Francis Arthur Sargent (Mr L. M. Inglis) was charged with failing to produce his wages book when requested to do so. Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, S.M., was on the Bench. Mr E. C. J. Foot, for the Unemployment Board, said that on August 23, the Board’s inspector and the speaker called on the defendant to make an inspection. He had previously been warned that an inspection would be made. On arrival, at the defendant’s place, the cows were two miles down the road, and they had to cool their heels for an hour while the cows were brought in. The inspector had said that he could not complete his investigation unless all the books were produced, but this defendant had refused to do. The inspector worked on the principle of co-operation, but in this case he met with determined obstruction. There had been an assessment for £l/10/8, which defendant had refused to pay, as he considered he was not liable for it. When the income tax inspector had come round, he had told him to ignore this amount, which could not be finalised until the other inspection had been completed. Had defendant produced his books, the matter could have been cleared up, and an adjustment made, if necessary. Mr Inglis admitted that defendant had refused to produce his books, but when he was advised that he had to do so, he had made them available. The books had been produced once, and defendant did not think he had to produce them a second time. The Magistrate: What harm was there in producing them? Mr Inglis: None at all, and I have told defendant that his attitude was untenable. The Magistrate said that defendant was liable to a fine of £SO. People must realise that they had to assist in every way they could. There was no assumption that defendant had anything to hide. Mr Foot: I am not suggesting that. A fine of £2 and costs was imposed.