"CHEAP LAW."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1548, 18 September 1912, Page 4

"CHEAP LAW."

STATUTES' STOLEN AND StiLfr

SEfiVANT.

I rrffetY-FtfUff CWAftGES SET OUT ;

jc?i guilty,

] .''.': Qfifte ifdenl- cf intrrcst has bren evinced ih> iivHlio-disclosure that a' number of i volijmes'of tho-New Zealand Statute--; had ,;■, bejiiK'stolVn,' allc'getily" by i< 'farlialhent J. ,iiiei!jßng'er;:_n.iincd Churles Clcinbnt, Im'sli, ... iin«fi; , fii'a.t.,',tlic?e : .liait"L"CJh sofil at cli-cap t :people connected witli' the-legivl J The intyrtsC .lvns hoighteiicd ..' known , that I'i-hy after nppeiijii(»,in Court at Wellington, had been ' "■ on 5.3. Atua at Aucklandj ,on--1 'September* 10; ; apparently in; th\); act of 1 ■ lcciyinK "for the. , South Ssa Islands. Fislt ■ ivS'sf-brouifht tip at tla v VVellingtoii sta|T|-- ! trafc's Court yesterday fo answer.to tiiirty- . ' foialprcliargcs of 'theft! of volnines of thu ■ J*eit\Zeala'nd Stahit?s. .; : ifiv.W. Ci. : Ki(idellj-',S.M., was- on" the i\ 3ioi""CHoi ilrolMrsi' prosnV '. cii|ed l , : ,Jli- i -.:i'. ilvWiti'oi'ii defended I'ish. ; I Fish,and the., Law Clerk. ; (Charles \Vv■ A\*a'ldroppfe, 'a hur cfcrlc, was tlio first witness, who st'.ifed.that for four I osfivo ycails lie , had b.id icces* privileges I'.'/aij tbo General Assembly Library. ..Pish. lenrhed til'iat witnei=s -was studying' tin a law examination; and had told wit-. ':. ness that ta had supplied certain , - friends. : ofihis .with sets of. statutes obtained on ail : craer''signod by or niembsri - ; M'hicli.Xferfi" p"rcseiil;etl .to , the Government: ; . l'rintsr. "fish haJ;-. also, said thht lnom- '. bors' got these statutes either for nothing ;'•: i-r'/at iV"greatly rcditccd price,"aiid that ho '...could get * similar '- sets on orders from Jli'nisters or mftnt'ic'M perbivjllyvkhown to , hirtt on liis Hist"li 6; wanted . .'..'th'dtti for law clerks not!• afford ;; tojpay the full prict*.':.::\Vlti'.ea.s lia'd saved. 1

:.' upj nu<[, about Alay.iMOg, :he-purchased a' 1 ta& of Consol itlale(l> Statutes' from fish for : ; .I'jflO.-:. Suteeriuonfly , ,'tfit'ncSs had resold; tire sot to c fnciiui •-•-Later on, Fish had offered to gct.T.liim .i'urther,. and- better . eeft at the wlHCC't;[)rioc,''.;iail. had n?lp<! : him' it' lie knew of- ■ iViVyoivd'. ■ else■ rieeUintf ' .'ft SCt. ~. ■ - '■:-...,:.■-.-, s- ■„ • ; . V. . ■ ' " ~■•,..' ■' '.. , . ViThe Law Dlerk Buys ant);; Resells. ' 'About March,- pur- • Dliased another .set f rtoiV-'-Fish Mov' about , ; £4? 10s. \Vituc£;..;liiHh:solil ; 'Hiat'-set;:tn: , . tlitf Linv Book alj'out ':'£s.. Front . this/ -'company ■■witness/ , had got'. : a' ; cheque out of which:'he had paid accused . his!.pricev ami received- about, os. discount.'

intervals -thereafter witness lirid re- { ceived sets and volumes-of-.statutes:-from: '■' I'jSlv. ..Altogether he had obtained from :, Fisji l\vj!ii.rj>lfvc sets (30 ; volumes), arid ; . ulhdf these witness , had. f.old to tile Law i Book Co., except one set,, which- hff had - disposed of to Professor Vpii" Zeidl'it:i; .■ .th,sbujrh^j^.^rea!iwcjl, i -f1..--ii , ie;n(l'.ot;-his.--I'isfi. naiT'ahvnyj Wt'n.- vague, n-licn qnesi tioned as to■ tlie price laf had given for . the statutes; Fisli had-said. "'Cosfc'iiricel'* !. Witricsy liail never'i'tolffi.Ksfe.itK. whom- ./ he sold tlic slatutes'. fish's price's liad ■' varied from. lOMei -pi' and more, and this variatiiJil Fish- hii'd tfxp'lained' by sayi ing that.he could only get one order from each MniiSfer'dr'me'iiilJC! , ;- Fish-had fold l , witness that Hie 'Government Printe- had- ■ .was.-iiitorfenngwitli' sales- , by lEUTn's "people 'liavc'lionksuiiean, wheii--1 those licople'could-afforil' to pay fiillp'riee. ■ Each Minister who had given •him ait '.. order,, I'isJi: .liad;..added., thoivillt. tliafc. ho ' was tlio only'nicmbbr of ibo Cabinet .who was giving'him an order. >

.''Fish Explairied." ■ : iiiad libVen delay in . PisK'S-'-prodiicing' wliat wiriicss r'eiiuirad, which delay Fish had explained by say-, ing,that.he had been, .unable to'get.liotd' of tlic jWinisteiv'or that the Minister hailgone put of town; ' Arrangements-to pnrchast , had usually been made between wifniiss'JiiuLl'ish;. iiC.the Assembly.Libriiry. Fisl,C;h?txl;;^<<^ : e.tiii{*s: left'.'flio, statutes at witness!s" ; otiKce;- : 'BmK'pftotwni'tls' at,:.witness's Srjuest, (ho , ,'T.aw Book (.'tf^B< l office>(>'v'''; ;s 'O>' :; ''.-... - ;:■■■•' The , sfKrotes haWaV«;al i s) , lfeeu,.',(;lpn'BV:up' in a.pnjft^brin'dicl ' :• Although he' had;not noticed. -elpthe : tiin'e I ' : wftii'essrwaj now of. opiuion.'fi.tljat Fislt'.iliSd'j .'pbseYv.ed':'sbm»eecrecy'wlten handin^onVariy'bundles of statutes at' the" Assembly Library. Witness had all the titiie bren' Hlider tho' im- . pression that.Fish had obtained .. the' statutes in'a'perfectly legitiiiiato-manner from the Governmon't.■' Printer. IVhen witness's friend, 3fr. 'I'readwell, had drawn his attention to a' .newspaper re-port-tq- the ofTcot-' that; .there had. a cerfaiit 'ifrrejf.. witness had'. (io the; libratj : '' {p'-seaf-J'ish-, bnt.hiid-iipf knou'ri.' how Vo"lj'rdnch"tli(?SHßjecv!; and had cbmn' away thinking that- all was .Tight, as there had been in Fish's iFisfi durini;.tlie: time over Wlifch 'the transactions had extended. Witness had , not kept any account of the money which he-had received from the Taw Book.Co. ......

With' the exception of the quarto-bound pets, all Hie. hooks hod'. ;v small leather patch on the back; Me' had never h>l<l morolhan one s-ot at, one' time; The last pet 'wliich-jlih "liiii!-'.sofil to- Hie lair. Boole Company hail Jitfin dfcipii'SMl-of oii 6, but hei-hud" iioS received -ikivlnent •-.for that lot JJe;<jau£HUi.9;<fiP'fc<\; liacl jriterI'orcd. it.id , lie paid- Fish i'or that lot. What the Law Clerk- fiof from the Law Book Company. . Thn'amoir'nfa wlikh ii.'>'7i;id got from , the . Law Book-CouVpuiiy tola/led- itliout J!200. of which witissfs hail kvpjjibbnt-.aiOi and Fish th'p' 'U\ifl'hee:'"'v?i(i«'W 'iiurt <ilways paid YUh wilhiii :< iln.v »*■ two'cf ]»«. riv CsivinK the nVQiiey from ths Law 8μ , .; Company.

Cross-cxamtned. Mr.-;Wi!fordi Why did>yo'> always cash t.ho .chsqu'e. ; >svluch.,vDii'sbt ! L'Mm tho Law Book Company? Wasn't it bectf-iso yon did not wont fish .to know what profits yon were making?—" Yes." : Did--Fish .nyver find-out that, you , were dealing, with* tj'e .Lair Bcofc ' Cxrhpany?—"NpV '■ , ' .-..". Did you never really have any suspioion that all wa3 .not '.straight and honest?— "Xo."-. •■■ ■< ■■■ • •■-:■ Not till you ,, heard of'that' newspaper paragraph?—" No." . : Do you think'that XCO rovi-r? what you kept?—"lt may li'aV* , hssii n-ovo." Didyou-rcolly )ie'-revo..th*il -F'ish could get Iho'sp"Concessiorti?—"'Tc.-?'."!.' TTnir old arc ycii^-"Tivciit.v-foui-." Whfre.v.Tre yon bVonsliv iin—in ' th" country or in. t.hp , town'?— -"Tn the town." Arfrt you were nit up in (lie badc-blnclr??—"Xo." j. '■ ..'■ Ton did not inform\ihp riV.fe when yont; attention wn* drawii' , to the ..newspaper, paragraphf—"No."..-■, ■,:-,.- • ,-;■ •; ■; . T? there a tittico'f eyiilf-iire" ■.ro*'.Vlio'w' th.nt Fi=h ever recciv-rd hnv money from you.> except your wonti?—"X-p,. not that I knrt'.v of." r , ( . ■ . ■■•'' ! .'. ■■' Did you over pee' the Ocernmerit Printer* flbouf the'way in whidr Ksh was getting tho statutes ?—"Xo." , -.

Several Other , witnesses. Her<flfil'- , S.' , 'Ollirav'. : 'maVto'ger'pf the Law Book'Compnhy, Wolling(wii v gavo c\-idenco to the efffct that his firm faidnd : in secohdhanfl statutes and Jaw bebks, and' resold them. Tho Jxioks" obtainjd from Wardropps were all second-hand; though -nearly new. ' '.' ,

Mr. Wiltod: Did yon know- where they Froro •toniiii?..from?r^"l-kiicir..that: they vere'.,'coWiiii,'' r iVorn : .Wnrtlrtippe, who, I understood,-obtained theriv from- the-.Stu-flea)s"*lio had a privilege in obtaining thern'.' , '; • ' •■■ < l)i(livoukn<)-.vFi.sii in the matter?— "No;" " Did you know tier GWerWfleitt Printer In it?-"No.". ; . . . . „ Charles Archibald JapnV Hw clprl;, deposed fhnf he , bad' litfefl' nWSrtl that WardropSo-vrtfs .obtniniflst volumes of tho Consolidated Statutes from Fish. Ho (witne™) liad a set Of fivfi statutes i'roni Wardroppe, arid had sold tho" set. to . TVofesoi- Vmi Zeid]\ti'' Sur ■ .at. '. Rα liatl received .as. from Wiiwlron'tJe as cominission. Tlircf of tho five volumes had been marked "Press 'Kooni'," and two of them "Mv. SlJeiiker.. E of K." Gflors« William von Zeidlitz, Professor of Modern. Lanstfa** at. -Victoria-. College , .- etnlettKirtfaiVtc* thv tfrdrttdinw ted BceU

taken ho had banded tho- set which he had received from Troadwell to tho jiolicc. Bernard Kdward . Murphy, solicitor, .t'eilding, stated Hint ho had resided in Wellington in February, 1910/ He had been introduced to il'Msli by Jli". O'liOnry, who,' also', was a solicitor. Witness hnd p.urchn.sed, .(from i'lish). tho, Consolidated 'S'fa'futo n'nd fliv' 1008 statutes for which he had paid Xil. There wa* a patch of leather <m tho back nf the. book, which, .ji'ifnp'ss hnd remarked, looked very iigly in comparison with the'rest of flu bind-, ins', .'To this I'isli had replied: "Tho patch is there for pulling your name on." 'isiiico witness hail gone , to F'eilding he hnd received a letter from Fish statin:* -that" ho could grt witness the yearly volumes as they cnm'e out.

A Case in" which' Fish Received "£,i fot Himself." Humphrey I'l'micis OT.c.-iry. of the firm ;of O'l.eiirv ami Kelly, solicitor*, .slated that in l'JO'.t l ; 'ish had fofil him that he could get him statutes at cos; price on a .MiriisWs- ofiler. Fish' had explained further that these were. extra- copies which weVe not: required , for, iillictai 1 - , . and .had nddtd that the price would be .CG 10=., and witness had at length agreed to take n set,- arid- in addition h'ad given. Fish £f '"tor himself-fin' executing, the m-dei-, as. ■he did not. expect him to' tin it toy nothing'." Witness had taken a , receipt for :J& MR.- In JSHO, 1911, and 1912 witmv-s had .received annual volumes of statutes 'from I'i'sli. ; '.'.'■ GoverrVmo'nf Printer's Evidence, Joliri .Afackay, Government:' Printer, was .the next witness. Hβ stated that ,he'lmd not, at any time, supplied Fish with statutes' oh any order. Between May, ISIO9, and August,. 1012, he had supplied to' tiro" llonVtS' of Representatives C 2 sets of statutes, .and 182 annual, volumes. The cost of the statutes was £10 10s. and .CI2 l-25., according to the binding. Jhe volumes cost .£1 n=. each. The books produced in Court were among those which had ten supplied to the House. Henry Ottersori, clerk .of the House of Representatives, said that there' .were now in the Honse twenty-seven sets of consolidated statutes and nine' volumes of annuals. .

Detective Goes to See Fish. j .Detective 1 Abbott, deposed (hat when ho had interviewed ..Fish, at. the Assembly .Library; arid'bad rsad Wanlroppe's sfntc--1 merit to himi Fish had said:. "I'm in a hole. I want id see Sir. Fisliet and explain fo him." Accused had made . a ■«tiifement admitting that he had stolen .statutes, and lnd said: "Make it light for ;mcV'-.1 , am an old man."

!fish Exoheraffs the Law Cfertc arid '' - Pl ea .d s Guilty. ■ Accused'was then formally charged. Ho . guilty,- and was cq'nimiitcd fo the ; ir'iSn'prenie Court for,senterico. ' ■ Mi-. \Vilf6rd, addressing tli2 Court, paid , ■ that Fish ds>ired him fo' state , that War-, dro'ppehad had fio knowledge that the books had bten dishonestly obtained. Mr. '■AVilford then asked that Fish should l>B allowed- lxitl. . ... ■-,•:: Chief-Defective Brober S objected. He «nid that Fish bad had bail on a previous ■ occasion, Hind ha'd'be'en then arrested aboard' a vessel (s.s. Atua),- which was - rfbont to' sa'il for the Islands. I' Hfs AVprship.said.thut'.ho regretted it, f but lie couit! not allow bail. ■ V