TRIAL BY POLICE STATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7440, 10 August 1895, Page 3

TRIAL BY POLICE STATION.

[TO THE EDITOE.]

Km,—Referring to your article on ths abovo subjact, in the earlier part of which you touchad upon my arrest, will yos kindly allow me space to mike in eolf-de-fence a bri _ p_plnnation, as I find somewhat 6rronooua ideas ara afloat regarding ihe occurrence, and I am suffering condderable aonoy*s c in consequ-ncei

. The following are iho faots of the case : I —Passing along Emerson street at a / moderate pace, and while in the act of I turning therefrom iato Hastings street, I j was to my astonishment steadily gripped I by the shoulder, and in spie of all remonl strauce roughly pushed along for some I dis_nee, till, approaching a knot of byj standers, I appealed for their interference, j and after considerable difficulty managed to j impress upon the arreating constable tbat Ihe had made a rather awkward miiitake. iHe was, however, rather reluctant to let me go, and only secured my release by hia I satisfying bimse'f thftt I was known [to the by t - dew, whioh waa a f somewhat exta—■■ iinaiy ?;ay of settling the matter, for knov,n < r i.known, I presume I had first to be a al ou some given charge, »nd had a iii w itrival by train or steamer been placed in my position, there is only one conclusion as to the result. Ihe affair resembles very much the case of the man who went out on strike "He didn't know what he went out for, bnt wasn't going in till he got it " In like manner, my friend didn't know what ha had me arrested for, but was determined to look me up notwithstanding. In conclusion, i wish to state I have no malice against the constable. I consider the department solely responsible for this unwarrantable aud illegal interferenos with individual liberty in placing one in a publio capacity having so little experience, without first thoroughly initiating him into tha duties of polica procedure, the result of whoso ignorance has been a shock to the system and a considerable amount of annoyance. —I am, etc , H. M. Black.

P. B.—l beg to enolosa the official explanation, which I shall be glad if you will publish. The following ia the police explanation: — Sin, —I beg to acknowledge receipt of your lett»r of the 3rd inst on the above subject, and in reply to inform you that I have soverely cautioned Constable Hay for Ms reckless conduct, and were it not for the fact that you bad informed me you did not wish the constable severely dealt with, I should have iiilicted a heavy punishment. I very much regret that the constable's action should have put you to annoyance ; he has only lately joined the police. His inexperience and mistaking a complaint made to him regarding a man behaving in a disorderly manner in Smerson street led to the unfortunate mintake occurring, resulting iv jour being acoostad by the constable. I have ths honor to be, Sir, Your obedient Bar .ant, Jno. -Meeson, Inspeotor.