MOVED A DISC.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 84, 9 April 1925, Page 8

MOVED A DISC.

A BUS DRIVER CONVICTED.

MAGISTRATE MAKES ATTEMPT.

When George Stobie. a bus driver, appeared before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, charged with moving a City Council direction disc in Queen Street, the magistrate granted an adjournment until this morning, to give both the prosecution and the defence an opportunity of calling one more witness each. When the case was called this morning, a witness named Linkhorn stated that he was in company with Inspector Marks when the alleged offence occurred. Witness heard the inspector ask defendant if he had moved the disc, and the latter answered in the affirmative, whereupon the inspector said that defendant was foolish. Stobie then asked the officer if there was any need for him to report the matter, and was told that it was necessary as two of the City Council employees had seen the alleged offence.

To Mr. L. P. Lcary (for defendant): Stobie was quite friendly towards the inspector.

Addressing the Bench, Mr. Leary said the defence was that the prosecution was a wilful exaggeration. The Act said that, before an offence was committed, the disc had to be moved bodily. Counsel suggested that the witnesses for the prosecution knew that and that the evidence had been stretched. "I have tried to move one of the things myself," said M. Leary. "Why, in the light of day, with the inspectors about (as they notoriously are) should a man attempt to move one of those discs?" he asked.

Defendant, in the box, said that he alighted from the bus and leaneu against the disc. He felt it give a little, but did not think he moved it much. He denied that he had picked it up and walked some distance with it. After he had reboarded the bus, he heard someone yelling, creating a great disturbance thereby, as though a prisoner had escaped. It was the inspector, who accused witness of interfering with the disc. Witness said that if he had accidentally moved the sign he would go back and right it. to which the inspector replied that it was no use now thnt he had moved it, and added that, if he did not report the matter, a councillor, who was on the tram, would do so.

William Barker, another bus-driver, stated that defendant had not moved the disc.

Mr. Leary said that it was almost impossible to carry one of the parking signs. He had tried it himself, and he suggested that his Worship would be convinced if he went down into the street and tried for himself. The magistrate agreed, and went to Queen Street, where he attempted to carry one of the signs. He found it rather difficult. On the Court resuming, Mr. Poynton said that he thought the affair had been a "lark." Stobie was convicted iand ordered to pay costs, but the magistrate added that it was a serious matter to interfere with the signs, and any future offenders would be severely punished.