SUSTENANCE FRAUD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1938, Page 4

SUSTENANCE FRAUD

ACCUSED SENT TO GAOL (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 6. “These people are making it difficult for genuine cases of sustenance,” said Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court when Alfred Duncan Gray Adams faced one charge of obtaining money from the Labour Department by false pretences and also thi-ee charges of making a false statement or the purpose of obtaining benefit under the Employment Promotion Act. “These are not cases where we can consider the individual, as they are committing deliberate frauds,” added the magistrate.

Appearing for the Labour Department, Mr W. A. Black said accused was frequently away from Auckland in a motor-car, returning only to collect his sustenance money. He made several declarations that neither he nor his wife was possessed of any income. It was subsequently disclosed that his wife was receiving 15s a week from a sub-tenant and was being allowed £1 a month for maintenance of a motor car. Undisclosed assets of accused’s wife consisted of various bank, gas, pastoral, shipping and miscellaneous shares valued by the department at £l2OO, said Mr Black. She was also receiving an allowance of £8 a month during the time the false statements were made. He pointed out that capital assets of £5OO or more disentitled a person to sustenance.

Accused was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour on the charge of false pretences, and was convicted and discharged on the remaining charges.