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Evening Star, Issue 14533, 8 December 1910, Page 4

Wk recently animadverted on the peculiar methods employed by tho Peculiar police in connection with Evidence. a charge of fly grogj selling at St. Kilda. Wo ventured to suggest that -while tho employment of informers as witnesses (invidious as it is) might sometimes bo necessary, the lino should bo drawn at witnesses who are constrained to admit that they have had reooureo to deliberate lying. Despite our 'protests and tho known trend of public feeling, similar tactics were used in the prosecution of a charge which was heard in tho Polico Court yesterday—a charge, as it happened, against tho samo defendant. Tho samo discredited witness was brought forward again, and no ono can have been surprised at tho lino of crossexamination adopted by Mr W. C. Mac..Jrcor, who. appeared for the defence. Wc quote from oar report: To Mr MacGrcgor: It was true that on a former occasion in tho court ho had admitted that ho told a lie, but not a number of lies, to induce defendant to supplv him with drink. Counsel: Onco ft liar, always a liar, I should say. ■Witness admitted thai he had said ho had got liquor from defendant on four occasions during tho fortnight ho was about defendant's tea. rooms. Ho was in ■ plain clothes at tho time. Ho did not think that ho had played Mrs Parker a dirty trick. He did his duty. Witness explained that tho money ho had spent had been refunded to him by iho Polico Department. Counsel: "80 you need not troublo about how much you spend so long as you get what you call a good case. Now, Mr M'Miilan, I put it to you: ."Don't you think tlds is a dirty trade you have got into'.'" And this man. who admits that he "told a lio" for detective purposes, is a New Zealand constable! We can only protest once more against those methods, which assuredly do not serve to enhance, the honorable prestige of tho law. Tho polico case came to grief (the Magistrate dismissing the charge without comment), and in. liic circumstances \vu cannot say that wo arc f.orry.