A POLICEMAN PROSECUTED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 198, 30 November 1910, Page 2

A POLICEMAN PROSECUTED

AND COMPLETELY EXONERATED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanganui, Tuesday. An extraordinary case, in which Police-Constable M'Crea, of Raetihi, was charged with having attempted to pervert the course of justice, was concluded in the Magistrate's Court last evening. j It was alleged that M'Crea tried to dissuade two Natives at Pipiriki from giving evidence in a Supreme Court case in Wanganui. It appears that a Native Iliad mortgaged a horse to Arthur Smith, and this Native alleged that the horse had been sold and that the document which lie had signed had been concocted by M'Crea, who had given him and his sister whisky. Witness was in the box two and a half hours, and his evidence was very contradictory. A couple of other statements repudiating the allegations were produced, which witness .at length admitted were correct. The sister of witness and other Natives gave evidence.

The Magistrate (Mr. Haselden) said he had listened with great attention to the evidence and failed to find one tittle of evidence in support of the information and dismissed the case. Counsel applied for costs for M'Crea, but the magistrate said they could not be allowed, as the charge was an indictable offence. He would recommend Government to pay the constable's costs. i

INTERESTING DECISION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Tuesday. In a case in the Magistrate's Court, in which a person sued to recover £G Os Od, half value of a tote ticket, Mr. Kettle, S.M., expressed the opinion that the Gaming Act required a person requiring a tote ticket to take it out with his own hands, that a person acting as agent, and a person employing an agent •for such purposes, were liable to a fine of £2O or three months' imprisonment. .Apart .from this, lie held, the case was not proved, and non-suited plaintiff.