ATTEMPTED BRIBERY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1921, Page 4

ATTEMPTED BRIBERY

PUBLICAN AND POLICE,

j IIY TELEGRAPH —rEll PRESS ASSOCIATION]

CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 26

The seriousness of an attempt to bribe a public officer in order to induce him to neglect his duty was stressed by Mr McCarthy, S-M., at the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court this morning when John Rea, licensee of the ,Saxon Hotel, Lyttelton, was charged with offering a bribe on December 26th. to a constable,

Mr J. S. Barrett on behalf of accused, pleaded guilty. Senior Sergt. I). Jackson stated that the charge, which was brought under section 22 of the Police Offices Act, arise out of a breach oi the Licensing Act. It was the first case in the Do-

minion since the Act was passed in 1913.

Mr Barrett said the police had been very serene in bringing tho present cliarge. Rea had been charged with a breach of the Licensing Act in December last, and in the course of evidence it. transpired tlie bribe bad been offered by him to Constable Hislop. A deliberate act of bribery was no doubt a serious offence but the present case was different. Rea was suddenly caught supplying a man with liquor at a time when the hotel should have been closed. When accused by the constable Rea made the rash offer which lie should have resisted, and which would cling to him as long as be lived, fn tho course of bis evidence the constable spoke about the bribery and Rea honestly admitted he had made the grave and serious error. Had bo denied the allegation it would have boon difficult to convict him. When His Worship was reviewing the evidence he spoke about the bribery, but the speaker pointed out that Rea bad not on that occasion been charged with bribery. His Worship however, in then inflicting the maximum penalty of £lO, probably took into account the question of bribery. Otherwise opunsol felt such a heavy fine would not have lieen inflicted..

His Worship stated that the Legislature looked upon bribery as a very

serious crime. Any person who prevented any officer from doing his duty was an enemy of the commonwealth. The circumstances were •fully gone into for the breach of the Licensing Act, and when inflicting the penalty of £lO he took notice of the fact that defendant during the interview by the police had attempted to bribe one of the constables. The police, however, were quite right to bring the present charge, so its to show others how seriously any attempt to induce public officers to refrain from performing their duty was regarded by legislature. Accused would be convicted and fined in the nominal sum of £lO.