DRUNKEN MAN FINED £2

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 13

DRUNKEN MAN FINED £2

USE OF CANCELLED ST AM 11 SEVEN PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS “SESvMS TO HAVE MANIA FOR Till Bj’ Telegraph.—Press Association. I Dunedin, Last Night! A difficult question put to Mr.-J. I Bartholomew, S.M., in the Police Col this morning was whether a stamp til had been placed on a parcel by a stal dealer had been previously cancelled I no. He decided it had and fined Ml Ham Lawrence Hooper £2OO. I Hooper was charged with fraudulel ly fixing or placing upon a postal pacl a postage stamp which had been I moved from some other postal pacl! cover, paper or other material. He d represented, by Mr. B. S. Irwin al pleaded not guilty. ;| Hooper said he was a buyer of nil and unused stamps. Lately he had-b<| almost deluged with stamps, collect™ in hooks containing both used and J used stamps. He received a parcel from a rieigh'bd to post and he said it would cost abd 2s. He subraited a stamp to his t head girls and he Jioticed that it .vl little faded and slightly , torn at -d corner. There was an infinite ratio in the shades of stamps. A stamp slig ly soaked in hot water was inclined become lighter in shade. On the back of this stamp there W a little gum. Hooper drew the attehb of a man at the counter to the stai and he found nothing wrong with When Hooper posted the parcel he yi convinced that the stamp was gq< They were very careful in his office The magistrate said Hooper charged with having fraudulently us a previously-cancelled stamp. Th< seemed to bo a double defence: That ! stamp had not been previously used A was genuine and that Hooper acted) good faith. Evidence that the stamp had. been p viously cancelled had been given in vf minute detail and on the other hand e dence had been given by two print who criticised the evidence given - postal officials and disagreed with ths The magistrate did not think i very explicit and detailed evidence of i postal officers had been met by the v nesses for the defence. Chief-Detective Cameron handed o a list showing seven convictions for g vious offences. The magistrate said that in view Hooper’s record he did not know if was justified in dealing with the c by way of monetary penalty. Hoo seemed to have a mania for this cl of offence. On this occasion a monetary pena would be imposed, but it must be heavy one. Hooner would be fined £ and costs, A week was allowed to m payment.