MANNING v. CASS.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1824, 6 November 1874, Page 2

MANNING v. CASS.

The case of Cass and Manning in connection with the breach of the QuartzCrushing Machine Koerulation Act has again., cropped-up afc the Thames. It would appear as if the feeJ'ngs engendered by that now celebrated.case are never to be allowod to slumber, and this time Cass, the a^eiifc of the Police, hag been brought up to answer the law for the pail; which he took in aiding the polire in vindication of the law. Who may be the instigators of this queer kind of prosecution we have not the least idea, but we find that it Jed to an altercation in Court between the Warden and the police, to which we must refer. We observe that, our Thames evening contemporary, in an anicle' referring to the matter, bears down pretty heavily, as might have been expected, on the police. That journal " thinks the assumption of the duties of counsel in our Police Court, has fended unduly !b elevate the influence of Police officials," and generally delivers a homily on the duty of the poi'ice folding their hands and taking things easy. It would seem as if Manning, the man who has expiated his little quartz-crusbing errors, has resolved to " have it out" -jf Cass for having assisted the police. Ml information was laid against Cass in Manning's name, and he was brought before the Resident Magistrate on Thursday last to answer to the charge of withholding his name from Manning, and thus himself transgressing the Act. From the terms of the Act it was necessary that the infor- ■ formation should be laid'either by the police or some person authorised by the Warden. As tne police were not likely to make such fools of themselves as to prosecute their own agent, Inspector BuiJen, before the summonses were served, wrote a note to Captain Fraaer, enquiring if he had authorised the prosecution. Nothing could be more natural .than such au enquiry. The police were charged with the serving of the summonses; they knew that the case had no legal footing so far as they were concerned, and before proceeding with the process of summoning they simply desired to know if the case had any legal sanction from the only other authority that could give it legal validity. But thereat the Warden appears to hare given way to unseemly warmth on the Bench, resenting such a letter from the chief officer- of the police as an impertinence. We read in the Thames Advertiser :—" His Worship said that he had received an impertinent letter from the police in reference to thin case, and if this sort of thing was to continue it was time for him to think of retiring." With reference to the threat conveyed in the latter paragraph Mr. Warden Eraser is probably himself the best judge, but we would venture to say, with all deference and respect, that it is time at least for him to think of using more discretion when seated on the Bench. We are glad to see that he disclaimed all connection with this abortive prosecution of Cass ; and as the police have had nothing to do with i^ the case has evidently been got up by private parties for retaliation., and. revenge.— Auckland Star.