£l00 PENALTY

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21368, 12 March 1941, Page 6

£loo PENALTY

OIL FUEL BREACH FALSE STATEMENT MADE FIVE CHARGES FACED (Special to Tftnec.) MORRINSVILLE, Wednesday A fine of £IOO was imposed upon Clarence Lionel McDonald, married man, aged 42 years, and described as an importer, when he was convicted by Mr W. H, Freeman, S.M., in the Morrinsville Court to-day on a charge of making a false statement to a sub-oil fuel controller. The charge read that at Avondale on October 30 with intent to deceive, McDonald made a false statement to Alfred George Shirley, Sub-Oil Fuel Controller, in that he made a written statement in which he asked for the renewal of a special oil fuel license, which expired on November 30, and failed to state that such license had been revoked on November 22. On four further breaches of the oil fuel regulations defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs. Maximum Penalty “It seems to me that defendant has carried his bluff and bluster right up to the court door,” said the magistrate. “He has bluffed someone into giving him 140 gallons a month. I disbelieve him entirely. In inflicting penalties in these matters due regard must be paid not only to the offence committed but to what takes place at the hearing of the case. “Here we have a man deliberately trying to create an atmosphere that post office officials are lying,” continued Mr Freeman. “I don’t like it. ■The maximum penalty of £IOO is never inflicted except in extreme cases and I think this is one of them.”