PHOTO OF A BANK NOTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1921, Page 5

PHOTO OF A BANK NOTE.

DANGEROUS THING TO POSSESS. INTERESTING COURT CASE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Wellington, Last Night. The Supreme Court was crowded today, when John Swinson, a well-known advertising agent, was charged ‘’that he did have in his possession a glass plate with a photograph negative containing ' the figures and characters resembling a five-pound Bank of New Zealand note.” Mr. Mucassey (Crown Prosecutor) said there was no suggestion whatever of intent to commit a crime; the note was photographed merely for the purposes of a guessing competition for the names of the New Zealand team to meet the Springboks in the first test match. Mr. Martin Luckie, representing accused, in applying for a ruling of the Court that there "wo a no case for a jury, said the lower court proceedings had been reported in the Press of the Dominion as a cape of possessing means of counterfeiting and that*accused had admitted the offence. “That sort of thing is likely to injure my client in business throughout the Dominion,” added counsel. His Honor: “It was very unfortunate.”

After lengthy argument concerning the definition of “without lawful excuse,” His Honor said he would exercise the discretion allowed the Court by the probation Act, 1920, and discharge accused without sending the case to the jurv. The discharge, added His Honor, will have the full force of an acquittal.