PETITION TORN IN TRAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16969, 1 October 1918, Page 3

PETITION TORN IN TRAIN

SEQUEL IN POLICE COURT.

CHARGE CONSIDERED TBIVUL. A seqttjx to the tearing of a petition on the Helensville train occurred in the Police Court yesterday when Frank E. Hudson (Mr. Dickson) was charged with damaging a document, valued at Is, the property of the Auckland Provincial NoLicense Council.

Isaao McLeod said he was collecting signatures for the Nc-llbense Council's petition upon the liquor question on the j Helensville train, and was showing the petition to a man when defendant asked to see it. When ho roceived it defendant folded it and tore it, handing back the pieces' to witness. Witness denied pestering defendant or arguing with him. Defendant did not tell him to go away. V. J. McLeod, farm labourer, said MoLeod pestered bin for an hour to sign the petition, and at last to get rid of MoLeod, he signed it. Witness did not read the petition, which, ha thought, was asking for a referendum. Robert Glasgow, fanner, Tanpaki, said he was reading his paper when McLeod asked him to sign the petition. Witness 1 told him to go away. Owing to McLeod pestering other people in the carriage witness had to give up the idea of reading. E. Ireland, farmer, Waimauku said McLeod sat with them all the time,_ and eventually, to get rid of him, witness signed the petition. Witness saw Hudson tear the petition. Subsequently, when McLeod said Hudson had done him a good turn as he had secured more s'ignatures than otherwise he would have done, Hudson said if he pestered him agaia he J would tear up the other sheet. | The magistrate said he was satisfied McLeod had allowed his enthusiasm to run ; away with his discretion. The charge would be dismissed as trivial. •'*'""