SOME LEGAL DECISIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2202, 4 October 1907, Page 1

SOME LEGAL DECISIONS.

[To the Editor.]

■Sir, —It is sometimes interesting ito notice the pearls of wisdom which fall from our worthy Justices when engaged in enforcing ou.r good King’s laws. A few days since tlie presiding magistrate fined two reprobates (!) for sly-grog selling. It would appear they had dared -to supply visitors -to the Hospital Ball with usual refreshments. In fining the accused the magistrate tempered the severity of t-lie fine (Is each) with .the remark that they left the court without a stain on their character. ft .is not quite dear for whose benefit, information, or consolation this was intended, but I should suppose .that no one (not being in a state of dotage) could possibly have supposed the contrary, AA'o have again the /instance, on AA'ednesday last, of an old and worthily respected resident of the Bay be-

ing hauled before a Bench of Justices upon a charge of a theft of a £1 note. The chairman remarked that they had a considerable difficulty :af arriving at a decision—l should say they would have, seeing there was

practically no evidence whatever to connect the accused with the theft, if lit ever happened—but dn order that something might happen fined him £l, and ordered the payment of a further £1 to the informant. It lias usually been supposed (that m the caso of a doubt the defendant gets (the benefit of it, but evidently the old order lias changed and given place to the new.

A good opening is offering in Gisborne for a successor to that delightful author who wrote “Tho man who corrupted Hadlevburg.”—l -am, etc., LAAV STUDENT. October 3rd.