AN OVER-ZEALOUS RANGER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 898, 17 May 1889, Page 27

AN OVER-ZEALOUS RANGER

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Christchurch, May 10.

A curious case was heard at the Magistrate’s Court, Amuri, on Tuesday. It appears it has been the custom in the Amuri district for run-owners to send a cheque some time in April or May for the total amount of fees payable for the registration of their dogs, but this year a new ranger has been appointed; who, full of zeal for half of the fines recovered by summons against dilatory taxpayers which he is allowed by the Council to retain, interviewed a local J.P. and procured from that gentleman a number of blank forms of informations, daly signed, which were to be filled up by the Ranger himself. Armed with these he proceeded against 20 persons, who were determined to fight the cases, altogether ignorant of the modus operandi of the ranger. When the Court opened Mr T. W. Stringer was retained for tho defendants, and Mr Acton-Adams for the prosecution. It was arranged that a test ease should be taken, to prove which the ranger was called, and, under the crossexamination of Mr Stringer, revealed his modus opevandi. Tho Bonch concnrred in Mr Stringer’s contention that the novel mode of drawing the information vitiated the

whole proceedings, and the expenses incurred on account of mileage, &0., amount to over £SO, which will bo paid by the County Council.