"A FRIENDLY GO."

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1917, Page 7

"A FRIENDLY GO."

OVERCROWDING A <THEATTUS. The actions of Inspector Day were strongly criticised in a letter to the New Plymouth Borough Council last evening, from the manager of the Tatanaki Amusements, Ltd., who was recently, fined for overcrowding at Theatre, The letter stated that previous to the case coming on the inspector had asked him intentions in the matter of defending the charge. In the inspector's words, "Are you going to make a lot of trouble or just have a friendly go?" Tie ' Amusements, Ltd., manager proceeded: "I had not seen anything very friendly In the inspector's actions up to that time, and requested him to explain what he termed 'a friendly go,' to which lie replied, If you write He a note stating you will plead guilty 1 will not-engage the borough solicitor, which will save expense. I will state it is the first case of the kind, memy brought to show there is a by-law and Viab it must be observed, and ask the Magistrate to impose a no'minal fine.' Thinking the inspector sincere,. I wrote as suggested and took no further steps to defend the case. To my surprise, when the case came to court on Thursday and I had pleaded guilty, Inspector Day jumped> up and opened the ball by telling the Magistrate: 'This is not a case for an ordinary fine; these people did this thing purposely and then made Vi advertisement out of the fact that they have been prosecuted.' He also quoted numbers apd stressed the point that we had £2 i"6s in the house more than we should have had (which was wntrary to fact), and finished up by "•elling the Magistrate that I had previously been warned by 3nm for the same' infringement. This, I tried to explain, j was false, and when questioned again by khe Magistrate, Inspector Day repeated 3hat lie had previously warned ttie. "This was the first occasion the inspector had cause for coinplaiutj' and I think c. reasonable officer would have given * warning and not seized the opportune ity of taking out a summons. I know the Inspector of Police personally told Inspector Day that it was not a case to take to court, as he viewed it as a mild case of overcrowding."