POLICE METHODS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 4, 29 January 1909, Page 2

POLICE METHODS

"(ONTKARY TO IiKJTISII KAIK PLAY." A AIAUISTUATK'S UEMAUKS. i By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Judgment was given this afternoon by Air. Kettle, S.AL, in the ease of the police against William Henry Wrathail, licensee of the St. lleliur's Bay Hotel, for having, on Sunday, the 20th of December last, sold liquor in contravention of the licensing laws. Defendant was 1 fined £ls on each of the three convicj lions. His Worship, after giving his I verdict, went on to say that he saw no reason to alter the opinion lie expressed yesterday about the maimer in which this case was brought, it was not a proper thing for anyone, especially constables ami detectives, to tempt or induce or procure any person to commit any kind of oll'encc with a view of prosecuting them if they fell, lie thought that anyone who went to an hotel at an hour when the >ale of liquor was illegal and attempted to serve him, was in law equally guilty with the licensee who served him. In his. Worship's opinion it was a wrong thing for anyone, policeman or detective, to go into an ' hotel and by offering money induce the licensee to commit a breach of the Act. Section 54 of the Gaming Act indemnified the police in cases of this kind, and if necessary in this Act it should he in the, Licensing Act. Until such a section was introduced into the Licensing Act, making it lawful for persons 'to act as these constables did, their conduct was, in his opinion, not oiily ( wrong, but it was contrary to law and contrary to his Worship's sense of Bri- , tish. fair play.