SCOTT'S SCRAPE.

NZ Truth, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 7

SCOTT'S SCRAPE.

Was He on Perry's Premises?

Lively Scenes m Court.

At the Port Chalmers Police Court on March 18 William Scott was fined £2 arid 13s costs for trespassing, on the premises of Alfred Perry, but . Scott thought he could prove an alibi, and got) a rehearing of the case fixed for April 8. (Scott was represented' by Mr A. C. Hanlon and Mr Platts appeared for Perry. Messrs A. de Maus and. J. Watson were on the bench. ... •.•■■-, .-■, Perry, m evidence, said he bad been ob? liged to y/arn Scott off his preniises. I^e complained to the police on March 15 and this prosecution followed. He ' knew the date was the 1 5 bh because he had' made an entry m his day-book to that effect. Mr Hanion. asked it an entry had been made of the fact of Scott being warned on that day. j • Perry didn't give a satisfactory answer, and said be shouldn't' be asked tbe question. ' Mr- Hanlon (to the bench) ; TMr man should be put m prison until he sees fitto answer the question. " Witness: You should be put m prison for asking ftie question. No doubt you would like to know nay private affairs. Under pressure by the bench, Perry admitted having ••ntered m the day-book the fact that Scott was' at his house on March 15. ' Mr Hanlon: Well, produce the book: Witness: I haven't jl,/w..th me. Mr Hanlon : You can go home and get it. Witness ' You go home and get your books. Mr de Maus (to Mr, Platts) : Is it not your" duty to do ' something ? Mr Platts He has given his answer. Hp declines to produce his book, ' Witness- Oh. no. .Mr Hanlon, I'm not going to Jet you humbugs nief;:.;/V :4 .; John Perry, son of 4l^re.d, ga^p evidence as to finding Scott at his ;house ; when he returnee? to ;lunch : on March ig»,^ but early m his evidence .he-, b^d^ to. hav^; a spelt 'to get over, an kis&cK of weep*' Witness (to Mr Han.'on) I an*, sure it was March 15— as sure as I am;tbat this day is Friday. April 7. (Laughter,) I know it's April 7 because I looked it up on the almanac m the; Union 1% s office. The same almanac , which shows^rthis day

to. be April 7 showed me that it was March 15 when Scott was at our house. Alfred Perry : You're polling Ms leg all the time, Mr Hanlon. ; Mary Perry, wife of Alfred, could only say that she remembered Scott being m herv house one Tuesday. Mr Hanlon : ■■ You don't bother much about dates, I suppose. ; Witness : No. 1 got into a jolly row about it, and I won't forget -it either. 1 Mr Hanlon : From what I've heard today, I can quite imagine that. You can't help me with the dates?'. Witness: No. All I know is that the poor old . man ran down the steps quick enough when Johnny ordered him oat. Yon couldn't have gone down, like that. . Addressing the bench, Mr Hanlon said no case lay against Scott. To make a case, Scott must have refused to depart after having been twice warned to leave. Mr de Maus : Do you wish to lead this bench astray?. Do you. mean t0 ... ..tell .us that a man cannot be arrested for trespass unless he has been, twice warned and refused to go ? . ' ' Mr Hanlon : That is the law. Sundry Dunedin people then gave evidence which proved that Scott was m Dunedin from 11.15 a.m. to 1.5 p.m. The bench, after a short retirement, dismissed the case. There was no doubt that Scott had, at some time, trespassed on Perry's premises, but the evidence was conflicting. Costs were not allowed.