CIVIL BUSINESS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 30, 5 February 1908, Page 8

CIVIL BUSINESS.

BANCO SITTING. A sitting in Banco was held to-day before his Honour Mr. Justice Cooper. A POLICE CASE. An cppeal rms heard fiom 'a judgment of Mr. liiddell, S.M., convicting one Constable Tnmer of assaulting Eobfc. Wm. Patterson, and ordering him to pay a fine of 10s, with costs 2ls. In a statement of th« case his Worship said the following facts were- proved upon th» heannjs : ~-(l) That the informant used the following words to th« defendant : "Yon yere funny on account of httTing police clothes on. Yoa are a common policeman, getting ronr 7s * d»r. Yon onght to go and shov« your own mother along the street." His Worship held that the words used -were insulting, and such as might provoke a breach of the pence, but not of guch a serious nature- as to justify the defendant arresting the informant without a warrant. Be held that there was no

authbrity in tho Police 1 Offences Act to warrant th& arrest ol Patersoa, and that as tho nrrest was illegal the constable- was guilty of an assault. Against this decision Constable Turner appealed. Mr. Herdmaik appeared for appellant, and Mr. Skerrett, K.C., with him Mr. Fitzgibbon, for tho respondent. Thu only question argued was as to whether tho constable -was justified in arresting Paiersun. His Honcrnr reserved judgment. TIMARU CASES. [BT TELIGKAm. — PBESS ASSOCIATION.] TIMARU, 4th February. I The court was occupied nil afternoqn and till 9.30 p.m. over the ense of nn ex-employeo charged with collecting a cheque for £5 6s, duo to the employer, without authority, and not accounting for it. It was & case of oath against | oath, and the jury disagreed.