POLICE AND COUNSEL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145903, 9 August 1917, Page 4

POLICE AND COUNSEL.

A PASSAGE-AT-ARMS. There was a sharp passagc*it-arms between police and counsel during the hearing of an Awakino sly-grog case at tho Magistrate’s Court on 'Wednesday afternoon. The first sign of an approaching storm was when Mr. Hutohon objected to the magistrate about “this man (tho sub-inspector) grinning whenever I put a question.” A climax was reached at the conclusion of tho case, when tho police applied for the fee of 2s for a subpoena for a witness, t» ho included in. the costs against' defendant. This witness, the sub-insncctor explained, was in town, and he had accordingly subpoenaed him in case the other side might have washed to call him. This was frequently done where a man was within convenient call and there would he practically no expense in getting him to attend. Mr. Hutchcn : That is not so. You are not telling tho truth. The sub-inspector: What? _ Please be gentlemanly enough to withdrawthat remark. Mr. Hutohon: I will not, I refuse to. You know quite well that tho real reason you didn’t call him was because ho is not in a. fit state. His worship; Yon should withdraw tho remark, Sir. Hutchcn. (To the subinspector) : If you brought him down for the other side, do you claim expenses? The sub-inspector said that no expenses at all were being askod for. only the 2s fee for tho subpoena, and even if ho had to pay for it himself ho would not make a song about it. Mr. Hutchcn; But you are making a, song about it. If the police had informed mo of their intentions it would have been a different matter. The sub-inspector : The police are not going to dance attendance on yriu, Mr. Hutchcn. You arc too ungentlemanly for that. Assume a virtue if you have it not, and assume a good temper if you have it not. Mr. Hutchen: Stop talking across the tabic, please. Tile magistrate eventually said he would, order tho 2s. fee to ho paid out of the fine.