MAIL VAN COMEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 106, 5 May 1923, Page 19

MAIL VAN COMEDY.

MAN WHO DID AS HE WAS TOLD. "A comedy involving a case of mistaken identity, an arrest, a police court scene. a remarkable explanation, and the dlsf barge of a prisoner was played In London recently," says the "Dally Mail," the principal characters being: A Post Office mail van driver. Two horses. A policeman. A magistrate. SCENE I. UNION STREET, POST OFFICE. BOKOUGH, S.E. 5.25 A.M. Grove, who is "hanging about" the post office, is given the way-bills of a twohorsed mail van standing outside, loaded with mail basrs, which contain a number of registered letters, and is told to drive to Paddington. He drives away. SCENE 11. UNION STREET POST OFFICE, 5.30 A.M. Tiie real driver arrives on the scene. Mistake discovered. General perturbation. Police notified. Description of Grove and van telephoned to all London police stations. SCENE 111. OXFORD STREET, G A.M. having fallen; a dejected-looking driver; crowd, policeman. Sudden stir in crowd. Vigilant policeman recognises driver from description circulated as Grove. Driver accompanies policeman to Marlborough Street police station. SCENE IV. POLICE STATION, ABOUT 6.30 A.M. Vnn 11 nd contents identified. Grove charged "with stealing a mail van. two horses, sets of harness, and 25 bags of mails, together value £200. the property of the postmaster-general." SCENE V. TOWER BRIDGE POLICE COURT, AFTERNOON. Mr. Macdonald, solicitor, explains the mistake made at the Union Street Post Office. Mr. Fry (the magistrate) states ! steal. Grove had merely done as he was I told, and might bring an action for "work land labour done" against the G.P.0.. Owiing to his conduct in the dock tne magisI tratr: considers him to be insane and discharges him to the workhouse. He adds j that he might be charged again if it were ' found he was shamming.