The Petone Licensing Bench.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 137, 12 June 1888, Page 2

The Petone Licensing Bench.

♦ Mr. W. 6. Henry, a residont of Petone and member of the Petone Licensing- Committee, appealed before Mr. H. W. Robinson, E.M., on summons yesterday afternoon on remand to answer the charge of having acted as a member of the Petone Licensing Bench, he being at the Bame time a paid officer of the Railway Department. The information was sworn by Mr. Flowers, a clerk in the office of Mr. Skerrett, which latter gentleman appeared in support of the proseontion. Mr. Jellicoe attended on behalf of the defendant. The case for the prosecution was broadly that the defendant had accepted the position of member of the Petono Licensing Bench. Mr. Benjamin Dawgon, the Tramo Manager, and a subordinate named George Duncan, were called, and proved the defendant's appointment as a sailmaker to the department at so much per day. Mr. Dawson said that he (Mr. Dawson) was an official of tho Railway Department under the Act. Mr. Henry, in bia opinion, was not an official of the department. Mr. Henry received 8a per day, and Mb engagement was terminable at a month's date. This conolnded the case for the prosecution . Mr. Jellicoe, for the defence, contended that Mr. Henry was a workman, and not a Government official. Mr. Skerrett submitted that all paid per-

sons nnder the Crown, be they monthly, weekly, or daily \ aid sorvantc, were Government officials. Counsel conoluded by submitting that any person who received money for work under the Crown was to all intents and purposes an official, and such being tho ease, the defendant had committed a breach of the law, and could notoontinuo to oconpy a seat on the Petone Licensing Bonch, The Bench decided to adjourn the case to Friday next, in order that the Rosident Magistrate might consider tho point as to whether the defendant was a Govornmont official, or Bimply an artisan on daily wages.