BENCH AND BAR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 441, 25 February 1909, Page 7

BENCH AND BAR.

LAWYER SENT TO CAOL. HI? DESCIUBES HIS EXPERIENCE. ■ III! TEI.UGKAI'a.—SrECIAL COUIIESrONnKS'T I , Auckland, February 24. .-. Tho young Auckland' lawyer, Jlr. W. E. ;Hackett, who was arrested, yesterday for refusing to pay a fine of £5 inflicted by Mr. It. W. Dyor, S.M., on February D for contempt of Court, has given an account of his "brief gaol experience. He-rays':;: "I was walking up'Queeii Street, with several offlbers of .tto Citizen's jLeaguo. at 3.15 this: afternoon, ;\vhen I was stopped by Constable. Armstrong, who 'said he had a w'an'ant for riiy comriiitment to Mouiit-Edon 'prispn for. non-payment' of .the : fine, and lie asked .if I. would,paj; tho amount. -.1 replied that I ' would not. , Ho then said that I would-have .to go with him.. I asked for half an hour's respite in order that'l-'might carry out the mission entrusted to ; me; :but the' constable was-: peremptory,; and I walked up with him to the police sta : tion; There 1 was detained in order that I might be taken up to the prison in-the van with another prisoner, for whom a war-rant-was being obtained. While I was. waiting there,. Sub-Inspector, Hendrey came in., He expressed regret .at seeing me in such a position, and asked' if there was anything that he could do for me. I replied that the only /eeriest I had to make ivas that word of my arrest should be conveyed to,ray mother. I heard tho sub-inspector give orders 'that this should be done,. and I also hbard him direct that I fehould not be taken to the : prison-in the van, but accompanied there in- a tram by a constable. ' This was done, and-1 arrived at 'the prison at 4;40. Examined for Identification, r "As I entered the ;gate, . I experienced tho strange feeling of passing through ill real earnest where; I had'gone so' frequently before professibnally. ' I w;as. ushered,, into the chief warden's ■ and . the warrant for my apprehension, signed : by "Mr. ■ Dyer, was produced. .1, was ordered to deliver. up all

my belongings, • which; I did, and I sighed the, form on ..which .a. note of ,them '.was imadel ... I-, was then ordered to take off my, coat' and 'other garments, ..which I did, and then a' minute examination ,was made, of my arms for the purposo of ascerfaming.'yriiether. i.there were any marks .upon;them for future identification. I was then 'asked my full name, my mother's full.name;.where I was born, where I lived, what was my religion, and what my age, was.' All this information I gave. I was then ordered to take off my boots; and . socks, which I did,- and- got; on the measuring machine. The officer said. my. height was five. feet. . At this I remarked that there 'must' be some mistake,.' that- I had not quite shrunk .to that insignificance. The officer looked again,.and gave my height as 5 feet 5i inches.. My weight was taken, and my face was examined, apparently for the purpose ofascertaining _ the-- colour of my, eyes and general peculiarities.., ..The officer; then proceeded .to record his observa-' tions." l -; : • ■ ' Instituto to the Rosdub. . Mr. Hackett went on to - say that, while the officer was, thus engaged, the telephone rang, and he Iwas asked whether he had any 'Objection to anyone paying the. fine for hiiii. He."replied that, while-he would .hot .pay the amount himself, he did not, object' to anyone, else .paying .the fine. After considerable delay the .was informed, that the Law Institute would, pay the amount. "I was. then removed into. the,, prisoners' examin a-, tion room';" said Mr. Hackett, ''and detained thore until shortly before; six o'clock, when the amount was paid and ' I was released. But for.'the; telephone.; message arriving when it did I' should have been' removes to a cell.'; I might add til the warrant stated I .was convicted for . wilfully interrupting the; Court when; the -Court . was, . giving, judgment, though, as a •, -matter I'ii.v fact;- when Sir. Dyer gave judgment I was. in custody; This misstafement in the war-rant-will probably, crime up for investigation by - the, Law Society. As • regards' the . merits of my case and the treatment. l havo been subjected to. I leave myself-absolutoly ' in'the hands,of my, profession." ■/, It i$ understood ' that "the''Auckland .Law Society' is investigating Mr.'Hackott's case, and will . probably .take an important; stop, shortly. ' ■' ' ; .