OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 80, 2 April 1900, Page 2

OPUNAKE.

(fbom oua own cobbespondent.) jOn Friday last, ljefore Mr. Stanford, S.M., an old man named Eichard Taylor (aged 71) was charged with having obtained the Old Age Pension by wilful misrepresentation. Mr. A. H. Holmes, Eegistrar under the Old Age Pension Act, gave evidence that accused had applied for the pension last year, stating that he had neither property nor income; in consequence of this he was granted the pension. Accused had applied this year for a renewal of the pension, making the same statements as before.

Mr. Brennan, formerly Secretary of the Oaonui Co-operative Dairy Factory, gave evidence to prove that accused had received seve- al sums of money for milk supplied, showing that during the year 1899 he had received £99 from the factory. The accused being cal'ed made a rambling statement, in which it was clear that his cows were mortgaged to the extent of £3O, and that his sons and daughters attended to the milking of the cows and were poorly paid for what they did ; also that he paid the interest on the borrowed money and also about £ls of the principal. j Mr. Stanford, in summing up, said that Taylor doubtless found it difficult to pay his way, and so far was entitled to sympathy. He had, however, been guilty of wilful lying and shameful misrepresentation. Had lie been a younger man he would send him to gaol for six months with hard labour, as the law in this case provided, but happily there was an ultimatum, viz., that of fine. Speaking to accused, he said, "you are therefore to have your pension cancelled and to pay £36 fine." The old man, who was very hard of hearing and stood close to the Magistrate while he was speaking, seemed to stagger at the amount of fine imposed.