PUBLIC OFFICE AND PRIVATE BUSINESS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 4

PUBLIC OFFICE AND PRIVATE BUSINESS.

,AN ASHBURTON;GASE. ■; (By Tclcsrapb—Press Association.! Ashburton, March 10 1 Tbo adjourned caso in which Henry Davis, Mayor of Ashburton, charged Hugo Friedlander, formerly chairman of the Ashhurton and Charitable Aid Board, with haying been interested in certain payments made in connection with tho Hospital Board 'accounts, was taken at tho Magistrate's Court to-day.

Mr. Wilding, for defendant, admitted, the receipt of payments, and said ho would tako asdefonco the fact that Fricdlander, being a busy public man, did not. havo time to look after petty transactions sucli as those- mentioned in tho charge. The Act under which Davis had taken action was novel to New Zealand, and the charge referred to an act alleged to have taken placo on April 2, on a day after which the new Act came into force. Tho total amount involved was but the small sum of £12 16s. 3d., and Mr. Wilding asked the Bench whether even if an irregularity was proved to exist it was not of such a trivial and paltry character, as to bo beneath notice.

Mr. Orbcll, for plaintiff, said that Davis did not wish for tho infliction of a heavy penalty, but it was tho principle involved. xhc magistrate reserved his decision.