A PENSIONER'S FAUX PAS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 977, 18 November 1910, Page 5

A PENSIONER'S FAUX PAS.

POLICE METHODS AND SLY GROG. | Representations made to tho Minister '■ for Justice (Hon. Dr.. Kndlay) yesterday elicited a statement m reference to tho ' case of tho old age pensioner, Captain ' Simons,;who was fined £3 and costs for ' selling liquor on a Sunday to two police ' probationers. It has been made to an- ■ pear," - said Dr.. Findlay, "that the two I probationers were oui'on their own iriitia- I tive, bent upon securing a reward; that i they were taken to Symons's house, and ' entertained by him; that they forced payment on him, and then turned round i and 'prosecuted him. This is quite in- i . correct."- It is well known that a good : .deal of sly grog-selling goes on on Sundays. The police were doing their best to check the practice, arid two probation- i ers had been Eent out by the proper authorities with' instructions to look out : _ for a notorious sly grog-setter. They had 'met Symons, and asked him if he knew where they could get a drink. Dr. Find- : lay then traversed the facts of the case, as detailed in a previous issue, and continning, said: "I am quite content to leave the public to judge whether tho Solice deserve all that has been said of icm in' connection with this case. 1 havo nothing to say at the present time about rewards for tho conviction of sly grog-sellers, or the methods employed to detect sly grog-selling. The last polico report states: 'Tho difficulty in obtaining, evidenco in eupport of charges of sly grog-selling is increased by the disinclination of tho general public to afford ■- tho police any assistance in this respect, and, for this reason it is found necessary to resort to methods which are distasteful both to the public and the police. There is, however, no alternative unless the law-breakers are to be allowed to go their own way unchecked.' Is this desired by the law-abiding section of the community? I leave the matter thero at pres6nt."