FAILED TO PAY LEVY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 192, 14 August 1931, Page 4

FAILED TO PAY LEVY.

Elderly Man Prosecuted at Timaru. (Special to the “ Star.”) TIMARU, August 13 According to his own statement, Thomas Thomson, draper, aged seventy-six years, made the second appearance of his life in a court when he appeared to-day charged with failing to pay the unemployment levy. Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., did not enter a conviction, but ordered Thomson to pay costs only, 10s, remarking that the omission was an evident lapse of memory and not a deliberate evasion. Defendant related the history of his only other appearance for a breach of the law. He stated that when a young man he was at a procession with some young ladies when several young fellows came too near. “I had to strike one,” said defendant, “perhaps harder than I should have. I was fined for assault, I think. At any rate, I had to pay something. I don't remember the exact date.” The facts of the case as related by Mr G. M’Kessar, Labour Department Inspector, in prosecuting, were that up to recently Thomson had paid no levy at all. When interviewed by the police, Thomson had said that he had discussed the matter with him, which was incorrect. Thomson had never seen him about the matter. Even had defendant done so he would have put him right, but Thomson had not done anything. He had also made application for a new book, stating that he had lost his old one. As a matter of fact, he had never had one to lose.

“We have had a great deal of difficulty with this man. The matter had even to be referred to Wellington to obtain information we could not get from him,” remarked the inspector. Defendant: I do not remember saying anything to the constable regarding seeing the inspector. The Magistrate: Perhaps the constable misunderstood your broad Scotch.

Defendant: It escaped my notice We have been very busy of late.

What age are you, Mr Thomson Seventy-six last February. You’re a very busy man? —Yes. “ It looked like an attempt to evade at first,” said the inspector. The Magistrate: Have you ever been before the Court before? “ Once for assault when I was a young man,” said defendant, who proceeded to give the details of the affair. Remarking that he did not think defendant had any intention of evading payment and that it was an evident lapse of memory, Mr Orr Walker ordered Thomson to pay costs only.