WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY

Chronicle (Levin), 7 March 1946, Page 6

WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY

-Press Association

UNNECESSARY EVIDENCE CALLED

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, March (3. "A scandalous waste of public uioney," was fhe claim of Mr. A. J. Mazeiigarb 111 the Magistrate 's Court ui Wellington to-day in objecting to evidence called by the x^olice in a case 111 which he was counsel for two accusetl. Ihe case was one in which two seameu, Konald Alfrcd Shiminen, agcd 32, auc'l Malcolin Ernest Brooks, aged 21, were charged with the theft on January of two lengths of suiting, valued at £G? 13s G'.d, the propertv of the New Zea land Shipping Company. Both men pleaded not guilty and were committc-1 to the Supreme Court for trial. Mr. Mazengarb 's flrst objection eamc whe.11 the manager of the lirm who 1111 ported the goods was giving evidence w to the goods being ordered from land. It was held by Mr. Maafcngarb that the ownership of the p'Oods was. never in question. J Later an ident agen't from Christchurch proceeded tO' give similar evidence, when Mr-. Mazengarb said that it was a scaridalous waste of public inoney, as the witness was called lo prove nothing that -would be on the indictment, and it was necessary for the country to pay for his attendance >oth that day 1 aud in the Supreme k Court. The Magistrate agreed-that the last ~ witness 's evidence was unnecessarv, /> and to prevent liini from having io appear 111 the Supreme Court, ordered his evidence to be removed from the record.