A PECULIAR APPLICATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11510, 17 February 1903, Page 9

A PECULIAR APPLICATION.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

NAPIER, February 16

A rather peculiar attitude was adopted in a case at the Magistrate's Court this morning, when amen was charged with drunkenness, with using threatening behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, and with using threatening behaviour at a country post office. After hearing the witnesses "for the prosecution, counsel for the defendant asked to have the charge of drunkenness withdrawn, as accused was an old age pensioner, and all convictions of drunkenness were sent by the clerk of the court to Wellington, and probably when tlie accused went to get his next instalment he would be informed that it was not there for him. There was no doubt -that accused was very excited at the time. The police decided to withdraw the first two charges. Both the justices expressed the opinion that the plea of defendant's solicitor regarding the old age pension was an unfair one. In future when cases came before them they_ must be decided on the evidence, and so far a« cases of drunkenness were concerned old age pensions would be no excuse for «mvictions not being recorded. A conviction was recorded on the third charge.