MISTAKEN ARREST

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3134, 12 July 1917, Page 4

MISTAKEN ARREST

* POLICE OFFER NO EXPLANATION. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Napier, July 11. Apparently owing to some blunder the Napier police on Tuesday arrested a shepherd, and charged him with forging the name of T. H. Lowry to a 'cheque for £12. The. man was taken to the lock-np, and obtained his releass on bail after some difficulty. He v/us before two Justices of the Peace today, when Sergeant Eales said the police would offer no evidence, and asked for the case to be struck out. Counsel for the defence, Mr. B. J. Dolan, urged that the police should give some explanation of why a respectable man was brought before the Court, f,nd said it was shameful that no explanation or apology was given. Ho suggested that the police would not have treated a sheep-farmer as they were treating this shepherd. The police were,'he said, "not playing the game." Counsel placed the defendant in the box, but ho was not allowed to states Lis case, the J.P.'s ruling that the case was struck out, and therefore closed.

The case has caused a very ;mfuvourable impression in Napier, as considerable) publicity was given to the Affair by the fact that the man was arrested on the Marine Parade, and that the stationowner whose name he was alleged to liavo forged is so well known. Business men consider that in such cases some explanation should be forthcoming, otherwise any law-abiding citizen is open to'similar charges.