A TIN-POT CASE.

NZ Truth, Issue 12, 16 November 1907, Page 4

A TIN-POT CASE.

SERGEANT DALE'S OFFICIOUSNESS.

A Peeler Who Loves to Stick his Snout Everywhere.

That over-zealous police officer. Sergeant Dale, seems to have a fatal faculty for getting mixed up m cases deemed to be of a trivial nature, m which the disgrace of prosecution is an unnecessarily harsh measure. Two well-dressed, respectablelooking young fellows named Gerald Hannin and Arthur Bent had a small discussion over a shilling m the Central Hotel on Thursday night week, and they emerged on to the footpath to continue the debate, which culminated m a blow being struck. Constable Quinn, who has only been four months m the force, pounced upon the pair, and as Dale came up immediately afterwards, the young fellows found themselves m the booby hatch that houses the casual drunk.The police authorities at the station had sufficient sense to liberate the youths on bail at eleven o'clock, but they had to face the Magistrate next morning. Quinn's recollection of the affair was that Hannin called Bent a b liar, and Bent retaliated with a blow m the eye, while Dale couldn't Say who made use of the expression. Bent got into the box and took the whole of the blame on to his own shoulders. Hannin accused him of trying to beat his mate for a shilling, and he persisted m the accusation, whereupon Bent called him a b liar and struck him. There was a marked difference between this evidence and the police*testimony, and Mr Wilford, who appeared for Hannin, directed attention to it. He asked for a remand to enable him to call evidence m favor of Hannin, who was a person OF EXCELLENT CHIARACTER, and occupied a good position. Bent : "I occupy a good position, too." Counsel : "You have pleaded guilty." Mr Riddell, S.M., remarked that the case was a trivial one, and counsel agreed, with him. Sub-Inspector o 'Donovan suggested that as his Worship considered the offence a trivial one he might; dismiss the informations against both young men. His Worship remarked that sufficient punishment had already been suffered by the accused. He would convict, them.—Mr Wilford, on behalf of Hannin, objected to the record of conviction, which might be used against him if he appeared as a .witness m a case twenty years hence. He asked for a remand to obtain evidence. His Worship said, '-Very well," and adjourned Hannin's case till Wednesday last, while Bent was remanded for sentence. Bail was allowed. On Wednesday the case was remanded till Friday. Yesterday, the. hearing of the case was concluded, when Hannin gave evidence to the effect that Bent appeared to be suffering under the delusion that Hannin had acted dishonestly with.regard to a disputed "deaner." Bent called him a b liar and struck him on the right eye. Being averse to figuring m a street row, Hannin didn't "retaliate. They were m the Central Hotel from 8.30 to lfl p.m., ancl Hannin had three or four medium English shandies m the interim. John Taylor, clerk m the National Bank, and Frank Luxford, cleric to Ihe Taupo Timber Co., gave corroborative evidence. Mr Wilford said he had gone to the trouble of calling evidence because, j although m the opinion of the SubTnspector, the case was a trivial one. a conviction would seriously affect Hannin m his position. His Worship said the evidence went to show how a very small matter might lead to serious consequences. Tn his opinion, it 1 reouired that there should be stronger provocation than had been alleged to induce Bent to call Hannin a b- liar and strike bim. but some explanation was given by the statement of Luxford, that Hannin ami sed 'Bent of beating him for a. shilling. Both parties WERE EQUALLY TO BLAME, but one of them appeared to have lost his temper. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the police happened to appear on the scene and stopped the row. The young men had been put to some inconvenience, and this would be sufficient punishment. The accused would be convicted and discharged. Thus our over-officious friend, Bobby Dale, who had on earlier dates interfered with the liberty of two reputable citizens, insisted. upon the arrest of two respectable young men, whoFc conduct was described as '/trivial" by the Magistrate and Sub-In-spector, and they were compelled to face the disgrace of arrest and Police Court proceedings. The Magistrate said that fortunately, "or unfortunately," the police were on the scene, which points to the fact that his Worship did not consider the Case of sufficient importance to merit an arrest. It is possible that the two accused will occupy prominent' positions m the community some time m the future, and it is a fact that they will be unable to enter a wit-ness-box even twenty years hence without. being asked if they did not at one time take part m a street row. This they owe to Dilly Dale.