Lord Cranley in Trouble.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 76, 1 April 1891, Page 2

Lord Cranley in Trouble.

At the Warminster Petty Sessions on Thursday, Viricount Cranley, son of the Governor General of New Zealand, and George Hartopp, a ycung gentleman living at Sevenoakß, wore oharged with killing hares and partridges without having gun licenses, at Chitterne, on the 11th September last. On the day in question an offioer of excise was in the neighbourhood of Chitterne, when hiß attention was attracted by a large shooting party. He went up to them, and, accosting the two defendants, asked them if they had gun licenses. They replied that they had not, and Mr. Walter Long, M. P. (secretary of the Local Government Board), who appeared to be the head of the party, said he would be responsible for Lo-d Cranley. Mr. P-onting, in defenoe, pleaded the youth of the defendant-, and urged that there waß no intention on their part to defraud the revenue, Lord Cranley's father was abroad, and he had neglected to apply to his guardians for hiß gun license. Mr. Walter Long knew he had so license, and was under the impression on the morning in question that be could not obtain one without going to Devizes. They went shooting, and be intended to get the license on the following day. Mr. Hartopp, who was stay: ing with his brother at Great Cheverell, had never shot in his life before, and when he joined tha party he did so simply to oarry the cartridges One of the party, however, did not turn np. and be was pressed to take bis gun. Licenses had now been taken out by both defendants. He (Mr. Ponting) thought this was a oase for a very small fine. The Bench said the arguments for the defence in no way mitigated the oonduot of the defendants, and in their station of life, instead of breaking the law, they onght to have set an example to others. They would eaoh be fined £10.— Gloucester Citizen, 6th February,