A FALSE CERTIFICATE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1946, 30 November 1906, Page 3

A FALSE CERTIFICATE.

AND A SO-CALLED DEPORTEE. I'KR I'KKSS ASSOCIATION' Dii'ieiliu, last rugbr. J. Long (proprietor of the T ibuu ) >..;•> charged at the Police Lour# this worn!- g before Mr Grab mu, S.M, wiih hnvi g wiliully giveu n faioo certificate with i.j.i object of obtaining a reduction of too p -■ B‘ngor far-’ in oonnrcion aviso the tret i" on tho Now Zealand Government tu - j ways. The case was in coor.cc.ioii | tho issue of o rt quasi for granting a iwk ■: j at one fourth the ordinary rates to Jono J Laffey, a publican at Ciouiwcil. Acck..'ing to tha evidence Lafioy had undertaken to do travelling for tin- paper on couiuii. - eion ; to got ndvevtiscmcn--, etc., and to be psid by results for tniorma'icn Mir-

plied respecting irr.g ■■Sion, Luinn.'g, , also trades notes. Lntley saiu ho supphcJ tho information verbally, and Long setrobocatod this stattuuon*. Defendant denied that ha know Latfoy war fmpossiblo as a reporter. Literary ability was not oecosssnry for a roperor. Ha thought ha was quits entitrd to issue a fioate. The Magistrate said that these privileges granted to tho press wore of a very valuable nature, and should bo jealously guarded by them, and carefully adhered to. Tho question was, could he r.gard Lsff-y as a reporter permanently employed on the paper? He hold do findant must have known Laffoy could not bo Interpreted as coming within the privilege, and tho certificate was improperly issued. As this was tho first offenoe ho would not iuflict a severe penalty (iho maximum is £10), but defendant would be flood £2 10s and costs, £2 4s. Me Fraser said that they were nol pressing the matter, but it was well that publicity should bo given to it. It might oheok others, and savo tho Department from tbo loss of he supposed £SOO to £IOOO a year.