CONSTABLE CHARGED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21088, 13 February 1934, Page 6

CONSTABLE CHARGED

+ INFORMATION DISMISSED AT j GISBORNE j ■TKr.SS AJSOCUTIn.S TILEGBAM.) j GISBORNE, February 12. An unusual case was heard before ;Mr Walton, S.M., when George A. : ! Baskcn, a police constable at Molu. ; was charged with using insulting i words to Archibald Murray Smith, and with behaving in an offensive manner towards Smith. The evidence for ; the complainant was that complainant and others left an hotel at six o'clock. There was a stray horse ; near, and complainant and another rode it, but he denied trying to coax the horse on to the hotel verandah. ' The constable arrived, and allegedly made the remarks set out in the change sheet. Subsequently Basken charged complainant with disorderly conduct while drunk, but the charge was dismissed. For the defence evidence was given that one man tried to mount the constables horse behind the constable but the latter pushed him off. Later' Basken saw Smith riding up and down the road, and trying to get a horse to enter the hotel. As the party was leaving, defendant spoke to Smith about making a noise, and advised ! mm to show his breeding and not to ! make trouble. | The magistrate said the charges were i well supported by the story, which ! was evidently well prepared, but was I unconvincing. He dismissed the inI formation