POLICE BURLESQUED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22100, 4 May 1935, Page 12

POLICE BURLESQUED

OFFICIAL DISPLEASURE ————' i. PROSECUTION AS SEQUEL DISMISSAL OF CHAFtGE '"LIFE DRAB WITHOUT IT" [BY TELECK^PH— OWN COBBESI ONnEN'C] "WELLINGTON, Friday A short protest against the magistrate's decision that for an unauthorised person to burlesque a policeman wearing uniform, as an advertising "stunt" was not an offence was made in the Wellington Magistrate's Court to-day by Sub-Inspecor C. E. Roach in a novel police prosecution. "Your Worship, the Police Department does not look upon this sort of case as trivial," the sub-inspector said, when Mr. J. H. Luxford, 8.M., dismissed a charge that the defendant, not being a member .of th<i Police Force, did put on the dress o:: a member of it contrary to a section of the Police Force Act, 1913. The sub-inspector described the garments the defendant had worn when riding about the city on an oldfashoned bicycle. "He had been employed to dress up in cost one representing a policeman, and he was seen by a sergeant riding along tbe street on an old bicycle known as the 'pennyfarthing,' " said the sub-inspector. "He was wearing a constable's ttnic complete with buttons which are the property of the New Zealand Government. He had a pair of blue trousers with a red stripe running down the sides. They were turned up to the kree, showing a pair of white stockings. False Beard Worn "His helmet, which was not quite a true policeman's helmet, was fastened by a smiall button on either side," the sub-inspector continued. "Tho buttons were identical with those worn on a police shako and aire the property of the New Zealand Government. Also, he wore a false beard and moustache. The defendant said that the whole of the clothes had been supplied to him by his employer as an advertising 'stunt'." "Do you think he looked enough like a policeman to be mistaken lor one?" asked Mr. Rollings, the defendant's counsel. The Sub-inspector: No. You don't suggest he looked like any member of your force, then?— No. The sub-inspector said that the costume had been obtained from a Wellington fancy dress dealer. According to the regulations, when a member of the Police Force left the department, he was allowed to retain only the trousers of his uniform. "Definite Portion of Lile" Mr. Rollings said that the defendant, who had been out of work, was employed by the manager of tho Regent Theatre "for the J. O. Williamson Picture Corporation, which wished to assume full responsibility. A technical defence could be made if it wa's desired. The magistrate said that if the police wished the Act to cover irull,r such a case as this, they would have to get appropriate legislation. The purport of the present legislation was to stop people from going about impersonating a policeman. It was quite clear that this did not touch the case, an the defendant had been burlesquing a policeman. ' "Burlesquing is a very definite portion of our life, and without it life would be very drab," he observed.