TWELVE YEARS HARD

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 57, 5 September 1945, Page 6

TWELVE YEARS HARD

LABOUR

FOR THE POLICE

Whoever the man was who gave an assumed name when accosted by the police in a city hotel after hours almost twelVe years ago he can, now consider himself safe" from prosecution. It did not take the police long to realise that it was a fictitious name, for a constable spent long and weary hours trying to serve a summons. Last week, in the Magistrate's Court, SubInspector, J. Abel said that the summons 'had'--not been served, and asked for 'a withdrawal of the information. The man who, following the reported habit of godfathers "'and- godmothers, may be called <:N" or "M, ?>- Was found in a city hotel after hours on the night of September 20, 1933. During the remainder of 1933 and up to June, 1934, the case was placed on a number of occasions on the list for hearing in the Wellington Magistrate's Court. The summons itself tells the story. On the cover it states "Enlarged to November 10, 1933; enlarged to December 1, 1933; enlarged to April 13, 1934; enlarged to June 1, 1934; adjourned to June 8, 1934." Then comes a long gap, during which, apparently, the summons lay in its pigeon-hole. But it was not forgotten. "N" or "M" having assumed a name different from that given by his godfathers, had promptly forgotten it. The summons came up again on the list dri July 27 of this" year, 'and again was "enlarged to August 31." The police thought that a certain workd might be "N" or "M," and interviewed him on August 5 last. The worker denied that he was on the premises of a city hotel after hours on September 20, 1933, and also denied that he ever gave the police the name reported. The police could not take the matter further, so, after nearly twelve years, the case has been considered closed. "N" or "M" has not been seen by the police in a hotel since September 20, 1933. But if he has not been in one, then, as the Governor of South Carolina said,' "it's a long time between drinks."