MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1019, 19 October 1882, Page 3

MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Some one has sent me (writes iEgles | in the Australasian) a series of newspaper cuttings, illustrating the lawless administration of law in Tasmania. Amongst them is one story which has an amusing aspect. The District Constable at a township on the Huon lost a gander, His wife imagined she recognised the bird in the poultry-yarp of a publican, and the D.C. proceeded to make a seizure. Warned by the landlord that he was making a mistake, he is reported to have said that he could swear to his gander ' among five hundred,' and carried the bird off. The landlord threatened proceedings for felonious abstraction of his property. The sagacious constable was, however, beforehand with him, and in a very short time the landlord was lodged in gaol on a charge of felony. The case was remanded for three clays—bail being refused. Now the wisdom of the anserine family is proverbial since the days of ancient Rome, and this modern member of it in the simplest way possible cleared up the difficulty. About a quarter of an hour after the publican was remanded the clearly-identified gander laid an o.gg ! By the inferential testimony of this remarkable performance the landlord was released on bail, and the charge against him was ultimately held to be ' not sustained.'