RAIL PASS ALTERED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17253, 1 September 1919, Page 6

RAIL PASS ALTERED.

RETURNED SOLDIER FINED. " A COMMON PRACTICE." [BY TELEGRATH. —SPECIAL REPORTEB ] WELLINGTON, Saturday. A returned soldier named John Murray Stilt, who had attempted to extend his privilege railway pass by altering the date from May 16 to June 11 to May 22 to June 18, was before the Magistrate's Court on Friday.

Mr. Collins, for the defendant,. said that, rightly or wrongly, the alteration of dates on soldiers' tickets was very common in England. The men forgot the fact that by altering their passes they brought themselves within the jurisdiction of the civil courts. Actually, the ticket, as originally issued, had not expired when Stitt was questioned by the inspector while returning from Wellington to Napier on June 11. Counsel questioned whether a conviction could be recorded under the section named in the information, for he held that a pass issued by the Defence Department was not a " ticket " in the meaning of the section.

Stitt stated that he had no particular reason for altering his ticket, but had done so while he was somewhat under the influence of liquor. Ke denied he had any intention of travelling on the pass after June 11.

Sub-Inspector Emerson said that apparently the practice of altering dates on passes was common in New Zealand as well as in the Old Country. At least two previous prosecutions had been made in Wellington. Inspector B.rrtU, of the Railway De partment, stated that passes were issued by the Railway Department through the Defence Department, and not by the latter Department direct. The magistrate ruled out the contention made by counsel that the pass was not a "ticket issued by the Railway Department." He considered that Stitt had plainly acted with intent to avoid paying lares in respsct of travelling after the expiry of the pass. A fine of £7 and costs was imposed.