Somerset County Herald & Taunton Courier. Saturday 05 Apr 1958
Page 8 Column 6
Unpaid Health Contributions
Driving Instructor's Card was Lost
For failing to pay National Health contributions, Maurice Raymond MATTOCK, of 9, Hovelands, Taunton, was fined £1 by Taunton magistrates on Wednesday and ordered to pay £3 costs and £17 9s 5d arrears. He was represented by Mr. T. H. McQUEEN and pleaded not guilty.
Prosecuting for the Ministry, Mr. A. J. HOLLOWAY said MATTOCK was a driving instructor, and then worked for Messrs. Foster, of Radstock, from June to August of last year. The firm paid his contributions for the two months but nothing was received for the rest of that period, during which he was unemployed.
“Mr. MATTOCK says he posted his stamped card to Fosters in July and that it was never received,” Mr. HOLLOWAY added. “This is not the first time he has said that his card has been lost. In fact it is the fourth occasion in the last four years.
“The result is that over seven years his contribution record shows only 2½ years paid.
“The Ministry feel that the defendant, having got away with the story of a lost card on three previous occasions, tried it once again. This is strengthened by the fact that since August he did not put one stamp on the card which expired on December 1st.
Was Unemployed
In evidence, MATTOCK said he was running a driving school at Taunton until petrol rationing caused him to close it down. He was unemployed until he worked for Fosters, but had kept his cards properly stamped. After he left that firm they denied having received his stamped card.
He did not stamp his card for the rest of the period as he was hoping to get exemption through being unemployed.
Mr. McQUEEN said MATTOCK could not have paid contributions for the first week in December (for which he was summoned). He had not been issued with a new card because the old one was not complete and there was no space for the stamp for that particular week.
“So you have the extraordinary position in which the Ministry, by their attitude, had made it inevitable that Mr. MATTOCK should commit an offence.
“It looks rather like sharp practice to me.”
Admitting that MATTOCK did not stamp his old card while waiting to hear if he would get some exemption, Mr. McQUEEN added, “Sometimes Mr. John Citizen is a bit stubborn, but I do not see why that should be held against him.”