FARMER’S LAPSE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20539, 14 February 1935, Page 9

FARMER’S LAPSE.

Breaches of Unemployment Amendment Act. SUBSTANTIAL FINES IMPOSED. “ There is only one thing to do with a man like this, and that is to penalise him substantially. He will be fined £ls and costs on the first charge and £lO and costs on the other,” said Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court this morning in referring to Ernest Ackerman Smith, a farmer, of Springston, who was convicted on two charges of failing to comply with Section 22 of the Unemployment Amendment Act, 1931. Smith, who did not appear, was charged: (1) With failing to deduct the emergency unemployment charge from the wages of his employees; and (2) with making a deduction from the wages of his employees for the purpose of the emergency unemployment charge and failing to pay the money into the Unemployment Fund within three da}*s as required by the regulations. Case Adjourned. For the Unemployment Board, the Certifying Officer, Mr Murdoch Ross, said the case had first been heard in October last and had then been adjourned in order that his department might get in touch with Smith. The amount owing was £24 8s 7d, and Smith had made two pa} r ments of £5, bringing the arrears down to £l4 8s 7d. He had stated that he would pay the balance in instalments of £5, but had not done so. The department had been dealing with Smith since April, 1934, and could not get anything from him until action had been taken. Mr Ross submitted that the case had been hanging on for a long time and Smith had been given every opportunity to pay. “ It; is quite a serioi/s matter to deduct the money and fail to pay. That amounts to fraud. There is only one thing to do and that is to penalise him substantially,” said the Magistrate, in imposing the fines. It was not understood that it was a case of misappropriating public moneys, added Mr Ross.