POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4566, 21 May 1923, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

? POLICE CHARGE WITHDRAW. ’ the-.local Court this morning, be- ¥ fore Messrs W, Marshall and P, E. !•’ Brenan,, J’s.P., A. C. Lyes 'was charged with alleged failing to account for <a sum pt £95. . Constable McClinchy appeared for > the Police, and asked permission to withdraw the charge. ; Mr Porritt, who appeared for Lyes, briefly outlined the case. He stated that the business was the outcome of ■ a misunderstanding between Lyes and '■ his partner, Steve Slavich. Mr PorriU "■ explained that Lyes and Slavich were r partners in a stop-bank contract-at ■}' Tirohia. On May 5 Lyes came to Pae- > roa and drew a sum of money from the PubHc Works Department on ac-. - count of work done on the contract. This money was to have been shared >’ equally. Lyes paid a number of ac- ’; counts incurred by the partnership in P Paeroa and left his mate's share of • the money in the keeping of his re mother in Paeroa and went to Auckland. On arrival in Auckland Lyes paid an account for fodder supplied ■- by an Auckland firm,'and he also ordered.a further supply of horsefeed, •3 which was shipped to Paeroa on May “5 8. The weather in Auckland was : very wet, ' and Lyes, thinking that similar conditions would prevail in V Paeroa, making work on the contract ! impossible,,-' decided to stay i'-i ! Auckland a few days longer.. After f all the acccounts had been paid there was a sum of £&5 to be divided. Mr Porritt produced receipts accountin? for the expenditure of all the money. These had to the Police, fe who were quite satisfied as to the 3, bona tides of them. Mr Porritt said < that, the whole of Lyes' transactions straightforward, dear, and board. The informant, Slavich, admitted that he had made a is. mistake in laying an information. He much regretted having done so. He was prepared to go on with the cons tract partnership. Lyes had expressed ' ■ his regret at the trouble caused by his omission to acquaint, his partner i of his'absence. ■ .. Constable McClinchy corroborated Mr Porritt’s remarks. He was quite b satisfied that the charge was ground- : - less. He wished to -thank Mr Porritt for the’ help he had given the Police in clearing the matter up. Mr- Hanna, who appeared for Slav- • % ich, said that had his client known & the circumstances the charge would -i; never have been, made. He , was fully. L- satisfied with the explanation given £by Mr Porritt. " . K The'case .was dismissed.