NOT A MATTER FOR POLICE

Northern Advocate, 6 February 1936, Page 2

NOT A MATTER FOR POLICE

PRISONER'S CONTENTION

! ISpecial to '‘Northern Advocate.”] AUCKLAND, This Day. The contention that the police were being used in a criminal prosecution in a case, which was essentially a civil dispute, was made from the dock in the Supreme Court today before Mr Justice Callan by John Edward Fitzgerald, a motor car dealer, who was tried on seven charges of failing to pay or account for various sums of money totalling £93 10/, received from various persons between March 22 and July 20 last year, thereby committing theft. Mr R. Meredith appeared for the Crown, and Mr Nigel Wilson for accused, who pleaded not guilty. Accused said he was willing to accept responsibility for certain receipts, which had not actually been signed by him. After recounting an intricate history of motor car transactions, he concluded: “This is a matter which is essentially of a civil character. No man has a right to go to the police to try to get them to prove such a case as this for them.”