A DISGRACEFUL AFFAIR.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 18, 12 June 1875, Page 2

A DISGRACEFUL AFFAIR.

(i''EOM A COKKKSrOXDENT.) Hawera, June 7. A most discreditable transaction was brought to light in the UAL Court at llawera ou Saturday last, in the case of Mr J. Southby, a storekeeper, who was charged with having sold spirits by the glass, he at the time holding only a bottle license. It appeal's that a short time since, at the request of Mr Brett, who keeps the hotel at Ketemarae, a constable was told elf to do duty there, and prevent the storekeepers from selling grog by the glass, which Mr Brett had reasons to suppose they were doing - . Tin's was right enough, hut whether the constable found the grog at the stores better than could be obtained at the,hotel, I can’t say ; however, no one was caught. Eventually, the constable (according to his own statement in Court) was offered a certain sum by the publican if 1 ic could manage to obtain a conviction against Mr Kouthby. His cupidity being excited by the promised reward, he set to work, and in his turn bribed a native named Nnkn to go to Mr Southby's store and shout for them, to do which lie got 10s. Constable Roach was to be in waiting outside until a signal was given, when he was to enter and catch them with the glasses in their hands. Nnkn and another Maori accordingly entered the store, and found Mr Southby shouting for some other Maoris, who had been purchasing some flour ; when they came in he also shouted for them. After that a carpenter named Fit/.Symouds purchased a suit of clothes, and said, “ I suppose, Mr Southby, you will shout again now,” which he consented to do, and Nnku and his companion wore again included. As soon as Nnkn received his glass of rum, he ran outside and handed it over to Constable Roach, together with Bs, pretending that he had paid for the drinks, and pocketing the 2s himself. Mr Southby was accordingly summoned, Constable Roach bringing three witnesses to prove the case for the prosecution. His first witness (Nuku) appeared with his head bandaged up and two black eyes, obtained in a drunken fight, and made a long rambling statement from which nothing could he made, except that lie had found half a sovereign lying on the floor in Mr Sonthby’s store, which he had appropriated and divided with his companion. The next witness was FitzSymonds, but he appeared in such a state of drunkenness, that he was ordered by the Magistrate to he taken in charge and removed from the Court. The third witness (a Maori) gave evidence, hut it all went to prove that no money had passed, and that the drinks obtained were merely shouts of Air Soulhby’s. Constable Roach could prove nothing, anil owned to having b-en induced to tiling fhe action by the promise of a reward. The case was of course dismissed,

but it shows the way in which duly is done by certain members of the force. It is most disgraceful that a couslable cannot do his duty without being bribed, and that he should then have recourse to such low and underhand means. A constable’s duty is to prevent crime, and not to try and tempt a man to break the law, by having accomplices to induce him to do so. This is iMe first time a couslable in this district found mixed up in such a disreputable affair, and it is to be hoped it will bo the last, as proceedings like these are apt to bring discredit on a force, whose members as a rule do their duty in a way undeserving of censure. Lastly, Mr Southby, a well-known and respected storekeeper, has been put to a considerable amount of useless expense and trouble through the stupidnoss and cupidity of this one man.