BOGUS INSPECTOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 380, 14 June 1928, Page 11

BOGUS INSPECTOR

UNUSUAL PROSECUTION accused man discharged (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. The first prosecution of its kind in New Zealand was made in the Magistrate’s Court to-day by the Labour Department. William Brian was charged with pretending to be an' inspector of the department. The offence was alleged to have taken place in December, 1927, at Southbridge. Brian pleaded not guilty.

‘This is the first case of its kind in New Zealand," said Mr. R. T. Bailey on behalf of the department. “In December complaints as to the employment at the Southbridge Hotel were received. This fact was known to the licensee. A person called at the hotel, and said he was an inspector from Wellington, but no one knew he was down.

He asked if the staff had any complaints to make. The staff had ma/j several complaints in connection with wage* and hours of work. He then yiid they wer6 IfcpJish to complain, as they were a weil-treated staff. He asked tho licensee for the books, and the members of the staff were told they must sign them. “Someone telephoned to Christchurch to find out if any inspectors were in that district, and it was found there were none. It was alleged that the person who visited the hotel was trying to fix up obvious breaches of the awtrd for the benefit of the licensee." After evidence for the prosecution had been heard, Mr. P. D. Sargent, for do/endant, submitted that the proceedings could not succeed, as they had not been started within three months of the offence. Defendant had several witnesses to give evidence that he was not the person who visited the hotel. The magistrate, Mr. TI. P. Lawry, dismissed tho information.