COST OF SUMMONSES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18867, 21 May 1923, Page 9

COST OF SUMMONSES.

NOVEL METHOD OF SAVING. (Pes United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 19. “One does not expect,” says the Sun, “to find an economy campaign being followed in court, because magistrates often give offenders the impression that ■ money is no object, hut that is where the latest manifestation of the economy spirit was seen to-day. Two by-law offenders—a man who had ridden a bicycle without a light, and a woman who had allowed her chimney to catch fire, voluntarily appeared before Mr H. Y. Widdowson at the Magistrate’s Court this morning to answer charges against, them. They had saved the cost of summonses, 12s each. In the ordinary course of events these cases would not have come on for some days, but yesterday, before the summonses had been issued, the defendants applied to the court, to be heard this morning. For riding' a bicycle without. a light the male defendant was fined 6s without costs, and the woman paid 5s also without costs for letting her chimney catch fire The procedure taken by the, defendants is quite legal, being provided for in tbe Police Offences Act. but it is very rarely indeed that advantage is taken of the provision to save the cost of a summons. Most defendants wait for a summons, hoping sincerely that the police will relent or lose the details of the case. It is a vain hope.”