CITY POLICE-COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11643, 29 January 1900, Page 3

CITY POLICE-COURT.

Saturday, Januaby 27. _ (Before Mr C. C. Graham, S.M.) , Truancy Act.—Henry Garforth was charged with failing to send his boy, aged 11 years and three months, to school for the number of days required by the Truancy Act."—lnspector Ail-ken stated that the defendant lived in the Kensington school district,"and the boy had been sent to work instead of to school.—A fine of 2s was inflicted. Breach ■of the Railway ..Regulations.—Sam Hoi Dagg, a Chinese merchant, who did not appear, was charged witTT'seridingr dangerous goods'on the railways without specifying the nature of the goods.—Mr Fraser, who appeared to prosecute, said that the information was laid under by-law 27.0f the New Zealand railways, which.-made it an offence for any person depositing in any waiting room, or in any railway preniiscs, goods dangerous or explosive in then- character without specifying on the outside their dangerous nature. Defendant, who' was a; Chinese merchant nt Oamarn, bought certain cases -of fruit from Moritzson and Co., and instructed them to send it up by railway ia Oamaru. Amongst the goods was a package that Moritzson and Cos. storeman was informed contained ginger. It subsequently transpired that it contained fireworks and crackers. The defendant was perfectly, well aware he was breaking the law, as he wrote a letter in which he told a lie about the nature of the goods, and afterwards admitted that they were fir.ewprks. Counsel said he r.eed hardly point out that it was extremely dangerous thing for consignors to send such goods to the railway goods shods, which always contained a large amount of valuable property. It was necessary that consignors should be taught that dangerous goods were to be specially marked, and specially taken care of," and carried at a special rate, and as defer.dnnt had knowingly and deliberately broken the law the court was asked to impose the maximum penalty.—After evidence, defendant was fined the maximum penalty of £10 and costs. — Until comparatively recent times, hif-to-ries- woro mere annals. Scientific method has conquered, however, at last the old romantic =lronghold. and historical research has, in consequence, become exact and philosophical — •spectator.