Breach of the Truck Act.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 6, Issue 566, 30 November 1891, Page 2

Breach of the Truck Act.

DISTIN GUISHI i D PERSONAGES IN COURT.

(Before tho Ex.-J.P. At tho Makairo Court on Saturday last six well-known Ministers were charged with sundry breaches of the Truck Act, a law which they had been instrumental in passing during tho last session of tho Parliament of New Zealand. The local Constable, who conducted the case for the prosecution, said all the prisoners wore well-known to the police. The information set forth that the defendants had sold certain parcels of tea sugar, Hour, butter, blasting powder, dynamite, tobacco, matches, etc., to divers persons whose names were duly set forth. Tho first witness called, whose name our reporter did not catch, said he had been employed on the relief works, and he had often bought goods at the defendants’ store at the works. Knew the store belonged to defendants, because ho was himself a loading member of the great ruling party, and was intimate with all the prisoners. Had not laid this information of spite, or because he had not been appointed Inspector of Moas, nor because some other equally snug billet had been refused him. Thought, however, his services to the Party had not been adequately recognised. Did not object to paying for wiiat he had eaten ; it was tile principle of stopping the price of the goods from the wages ho objected to. That was clearly against the provisions of tho Act, and the men wanted that sort of thing stopped. He thought defendants might have trusted to their honor, as they had done in regard to the tram and coach fares. Knew the police were trying to collect theso fares, and did not think they would get very fat at the job either. All the blooming swell chaps got free rides, and why shouldn’t they ? If they couldn’t get a small concession like this, what the deuce was the use of belonging to tho Party at all ? That’s whut he wanted to know, witness repeated, and he would like his Worship's ruling on that point before tho case went any turiher. His Worship said he knew nothing about the prisoners or their party. His own opinion was they were a bad lot. It was, however, rather a nice point, and he would recommend witness to consult Mr Toss will. At this stage the prisoners askad to bo accommodated with seats, and six of Birnie’s butter kegs were brought in for that purpose. Witness continued : Would not attempt to sit on those kegs if he were prisoners. The defendant's storeman had been in tho habit of storing dynamite in some of those kegs, and il any of the Ministers got excited, and commenced to raise a ruction, they might got raised to “ another place ” without waiting to be called by the Governor. It was not true he exp< C.ed to be “ called ” to tho Council, although he knew there were plenty of worse men there than himself. His Worship to Constable : How many more witness have you ? Constable : Thirty-nine, your Worships. Tiis Minister for Works said, te save the time of tho honorable Court, ho and his colleagues would withdraw their tirst plea of not guilty, and substitute a plea of guilty on all the charges. He hoped his Worship, in lixiug the penalties, wotikl bear in mind that the men would have starved if they had not opened the store, and if they were let go this-time they would bo careful not to offend again. It was true that thoy had been told that the \ct would be quite unworkable in the ba k country, and now they saw that il was against llie best interests of the men most concerned. Tho great I .Mil, and his fellow agitators were, however, determined to have tho measure, and now they had it they must make the best of it. If his Worship thought justice wonl 1 be done, and the full dignity and majesty of the law maintained by the simple administering of a caution, he would undertake that tho firm of Ballance, Reeves, Seddou, Cadmati, McKenzie, and Ward, lately carrying on business as grocers ami

general storekeeper*. at the Mukairo I'.oad rehof works would be given up, and he would undertake for self and partner* not to Soim*the law again. lii< Worship: Taking into consideration nil the circumstances of the case and the political incx|icricncM of the defendants, I discharge them with n caution. Voting men, you may go ; and I would advise you to be very careful in future lest you come to a bad end. Constable, clear the court.