RE-USING STAMPS

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5488, 16 May 1917, Page 2

RE-USING STAMPS

A POSTAL PROSECUTION A rather unusual case was preferred at the loeal S.M. Court yesterday, when a young girl named Ada Baker was charged with having at Midhirst (Taranaki), on February 3rd, posted a protest bearing a cancelled postage 6tamp, contrary|to the postal regulations. Sergt. O'Grady appeared on behalf of the' authorities and reud a statement by accused, indicating that she had given the packet in question to a cousin to post. The packet bore an unusual stamp. The cousin carried the packet for a week before posting it.

Mr P. Gilchrist appeared for accused, and urged that no fraud was intended. If there was a charge to answer proceedings should have been taken at Midhirst, where the alleged offence occurred. Argument ensued as to the advisability of that course, on the ground of expense, and the Magistrate (Mr C. Page) decided to hear evidence. Accused, Ada Baker, gave evidence bearing out her earlier statements. There appeared to be a deal of confusion over the letter in question and another posted three or four week’s earlier. One was posted at Midhirst and the other at Stratford, In accused’s earlier statement she had apparently confusod the two letters. Accused’s sister, Mrs White, in evidence, said she herself attached the stamp to the letter in question. Accused gave her a row of new stamps, and she tore two off and affixed them to two letters to be posted that day, February 3rd. His Worship said it was clear to him that the stamp affixed had previously been used and cancelled by the postal authorities. What he wanted to be clear about whovhad attached that stamp, and posted the letter, and whether it was accused or someone else not charged. Accused’s step-father, Sergt.Major Brown, of Mauawaru, gave his version of the affair, which seemed to still further cloud the issue.

Mr Gilchrist pointed out that there had been no divergence iu the evidence as compared to the statement made earlier by the accused. It was quite possible that the used Btamp had been put on in the post office. The evidence showed an absence of fraudulent intent. Sergt. O’Grady said the onus was on accused to prove the absence ol fraud. His Worship said he was compelled to record a conviction. It was strange that when asked for an explanation of the letter by the authorities the explanation given referred to auother letter altogether. Mrs White must have been mistaken in stating she saw unused stamp affixed. Costs only would be imposed amounting to I2s. He "hoped that the case would be a warning to the public to be more careful in the matter of affixing stamps.