WAS NOT A WIDOW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17345, 18 July 1924, Page 8

WAS NOT A WIDOW.

PENSION FRAUD CASE. (Special to the “ Star.”) AY ELLINGTON. July 13. By falsely declaring at- Christchurch that she was still a widow, Helen Mary Muncey obtained a widow’s pension instalment of £4 17s (Id. When she appeared in the Magistrate’s Court tot'&y. T. G. Gil tedder, of the Pensions Department, stated that defendant was left a widow in May, 1923, and received a pension in July following. She remarried in September last, and in October obtained an instalment of £4 17s Gd by declaring that she had not re-married. Sir.ce the issue of the summons, the amount had been returned, but the Department decided to ventilate the matter as a warning to others. In admitting the offence, Mr A. B. Sievwright stated that the man defendant bad married failed to assist her and her children, and she had acted in the manner escribed “I look on this matter as a serious one,’’ said the Magistrate, Mr Page The statement was specific and short the declaration containing nothing else hut the statement referred to, and she must have known what she was doing. The Department perhaps looked leniently on ihis matter, and wanted publicity rather than punishDefendant was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon in twelve months.