Plain Speaking,

Manawatu Herald, 18 April 1893, Page 3

Plain Speaking,

The case agatast Joseph Frederick Pease, for a false declaration under the Land Act,, Was lizard on Friday at the New Plymouth Supreirifl Oourt. His Honor, in summing vp 1 , said.it Was Very extra6rdin~ary how these transactions had been discovered by the auditor, Whose " dealings were with £ s d., and the Only way he could conceive that they had been discovered by the auditor was through the receipt that held been given for the return of the deposit money. That being the case, now was it that payment being made in April, 1891, it was not till the beginning of this year that the information was laid ? It certainly looked extremely peculiar. Then, again, how was it that the auditor as auditor could have anything to do with enqniring whether a declaration wa3 correct or nob, and what need had he to trouble himself ? He would say that if the Government adopted this plan of employing auditors as private detectives it was mo3t discreditable, and he would not be doing his duty if he did nofc.say it boldly and openly to the jury. He thought the prosecution had pressed accused very ardently. His Honor then referred to the application the defendant had made for land, and said that the proper course to have been taken by the Commiasioner of Crown Lands was to have either consigned the application to the waste paper or to have sent it back with a proper form to be filled up. Instead of that, the application had gone in with the others, and, although it was not successful, it was hunted, up and made the subject ef this prosecution.