FORGED VOUCHERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2695, 14 February 1924, Page 3

FORGED VOUCHERS.

YOUNG COUPLE EXTRADITED FROM AUSTRALIA. Wellington, Feb. .13. Nicholas Peters and his wife, Olive Mavis, aged 25 and 23 years respectively, were charged at the Magistrate’s Court on ten charges of obtaining money by false pretences from the post offices at Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Wellesley Street, Auckland, and Ponsonby, Auckland, obtaining .0675 from the New Zealand Government, by false pretences. Peters was a casual clerk in tlie Pesions Departmnet in Wellington from 1920 to August 1923. Just prior to leaving be issued five war pensions certificates to five agents, the certificates each representing £SB 10s and £136 10s respectively, and sent a pair to each of the post offices named. He and bis wife then went to those places, where she collected the money. All the documents were made out in false names. The last amount collected was at Ponsonby on September 6tli. The pair left for Sydney next day, and were later arrested at Melbourne and extradited. George Fa die, Commissioner of Pensions, said that Peters knew the system of the office, and that the forms would not be I’eeeived back for a week or ten days after handing in to the post offices. Detective Nuttall, who made the arrests in Melbourne, said that Peters admitted bis guilt, and said lie persuaded bis wife, who bad been throughout strongly opposed to the action. Accused pleaded guilty, and were committed for sentence.