CIGARETTE COUPONS

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 6

CIGARETTE COUPONS

WELLINGTON, June 11. Having missed between 40,000 and 50,000 returned cigarette coupons, W. D. and H. O. Wills instituted an inquiry, as a result of which Dorothy Madaline Major and Rita May Hanning were charged with receiving from Elizabeth Haines about 8000 certificates, valued at £33 6s Bd, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Major was further charged with receiving from Bessie Burton about 9000 certificates in similar circumstances.

Evidence was given that when the certificates came back to the firm in return for gifts, they were placed in locked bins. When the firm came to destroy them some 40,000 or 50,000 were missed. At the same time a correspond-

ing increase was noticed in the number of coupons being exchanged for gifts. A watch was kept, and Mrs Hanning was found trying to dispose of a large quantity. It was then found that Mrs Major had purchased about 9000 from one of the firm’s employees. Both the accused went down to the firm’s premises and obtained about 8000 certificates from Elizabeth Haines. The total value of the coupons the accused handled was about £7O.

The magistrate adopted the sugges

tion of the women’s probation officer and admitted Mrs Major to three years’ probation, and Mrs Hanning to two years’ probation.