B—l [FT. ll]

(c) STATEMENT OF IRREGULARITIES IN CONNECTION WITH PUBLIC MONEYS AND STORES—continued

(d) SCHEDULE OF SUMS ALLOWED BY THE AUDIT OFFICE AS PAID, UNDER PROVISIONS OF SECTION 73, PUBLIC REVENUES ACT, 1928 Section 73, which requires the Audit Office to disallow any sum as paid where the voucher for the actual receipt or payment has not been produced, empowers the Minister, on satisfactory evidence being forthcoming that the requisite papers have been lost or destroyed or that it is not possible to obtain or replace them, to order that the relative sum be allowed. The powers of the Minister under section 73 have been delegated to the Secretary to the Treasury in terms of section 15 of the Finance Act, 1937, and he has recently stated in the following terms the scrutiny to which applications for orders are subjected before they are allowed " When applications are received by Treasury, they are examined by a special officer and the explanation given in the form is scrutinized. If this is considered ' unsatisfactory' taking into account the particular circumstances of the case, the

12

File No, Nature of Irregularity. Amount Involved. Action Taken, and Result. CASES OTHER THAN THOSE IN WHICH DEPARTMENTAL OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED—confcZ. Social Security Department—continued o „ J A. 21/2/49 Reciprocal age-benefit obtained JJ ». U. 64 12 10 Offender convicted and admitted to by fraud probation for one year. Restitution of £29 4s. 6d. ordered. A. 21/2/49 War pension uplifted by un51 3 4 Offender sentenced to twelve months' authorized person imprisonment. A. 21/2/49 Sickness and widow's benefits 131 14 0 Police prosecution pending. obtained by fraud A. 21/2/49 War (economic) pension obtained 68 5 0 Offender convicted and discharged by fraud (three charges) on two charges and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within twelve months on the third charge. A. 21/2/49 War (economic and wife's) pen84 0 3 Offender convicted and admitted to sion obtained by fraud probation for one year. Restitution ordered. A. 21/2/49 War (economic) pension obtained 242 5 1 Offender convicted and fined £50 by fraud plus costs. A. 21/2/49 Sickness - benefit obtained by 28 16 0 Police prosecution pending. fraud A. 21/2/49 Sickness - benefit obtained by 17 2 0 Police prosecution pending. fraud State Hydro-electric Department A. 31/66/2 1 Theft of stores (seven instances) j 21 13 7 1 * A. 21/126/49 1 Department of Tourist and Health Resorts A. 21/128/49 Theft of rail tickets .. 8 4 2 Investigations unsuccessful. Value of tickets recovered. A. 21/128/49 Theft of moneys .. 102 0 0 * Amount recovered from Agents. Valuation Department A. 21/44/49 1 Theft of chain tape .. 1 Not stated [ *