POLICE V. FENTON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1447, 29 December 1885, Page 2

POLICE V. FENTON.

TO THE EDITOR, bin, —I would like to ask you through the medium of your valuable columns a few questions that have occurred to me an being of considerable importance to your many readers and the public generally, in connection with the above cage.

let. Hag any police officer a legal right to arrest a sober man for obscene language ? 2nd. Assuming ho baa the legal power of arresting, has he the game power for torturing his prisoner as the clear evidence of the principal witnegg stated on oath to be ft fact, yiz.. by b-nding back Fenton‘e hand until he (Fenton) was black in (he face with agony and the pressure of Morton’s knee on his breast, thereby compelling the man to resist, and then charge him with doing so ?

3rd. Has tho officer any right to “ dog ” a man (convicted felona excepted) about the country, and by bo doing tend to a provocation ? The evidence on this print wag very clear. 4th. Has any officer at any time the right to endanger the livog of others in pursuit of hi* duty to arrest a m»n for calling him a dog? If not, perhaps Sergeant Morton will tell os by what authority he unharnessed a spirited horse when the trap, a dog cart (two wheels), was quite full (two men and several children) to the imminent danger of limbs and life.

sth. I« Sergeant Morton such a zealous officer on behalf of the public that whenever a person coughs or clears their throat, and Sergeant Morton happens «o be a pace or two before that person, does he infalliably turn round to see if he is wanted to assist or arrest the person—beg pardon, the complaint of the person—so distressed ? Having already trespassed on yonr valuable space further than lat first intended, 1 will conclude by congratulating Mr Inspector Broham and the Tsmuks district, upon the possession of Hitch an indefatigable officer, and I am sure all the Sergeant’s many friends will join me in wishing Mr Morton the success he deserves, s« such heroic manly conduct as that displayed throughout the above esse cannot fail to earn promotion and honor at the earliest vacancy from the hands of inflexible justice, as personated by Mr Inspector Broham.—l am, etc., JrJ'TIOB. York street, Timarn,