THE CONSTABLE SAW “HIP POCKET BULGING.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 8

THE CONSTABLE SAW “HIP POCKET BULGING.”

ASHBURTON CHARGE NOT ESTABLISHED. (Special to the “Star.”) ASHBURTON, January 29. A case against Herbert White, charged with keeping a bottle ot whisky for sale, was dismissed by Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., to-day, without calling on the defence. Senior-Ser- j geant Mathieson prosecuted, and Mr i W. J. Hunter appeared for accused. j Constable White said that on January 15, about 2 p.m., he was riding his motor-cycle along Cass Street, and saw*. White ahead holding his hand round J the front of his coat. His hip pocket - was bulging, and apparently contained . a bottle. When witness got alongside he saw that White had something under the front of his coat. Witness turned his cycle round, and saw White running away. He followed him to the Wakanui Road Board yard. White ran aJong the fence and through a gap. Witness doubled round and met accused by the gate, saying: “What are you doing here?” White replied, “Nothing to do with you.” He had no liquor with him, but refused to go back along the fence, and ran away again. Witness went back, and found a bottle of whisky near the gap accused went through. Cross-examined by Mr Hunter, the constable said he could not say that White had a bottle in his coat, but there appeared to be a bottle in his hip pocket. “ I suppose if ever yon saw White with anything in his pocket it- would be a bottle, wouldn't it-?’’ asked Mr Hunter. Constable White: “No, not necessarily.” Continuing, witness said the bottle was lying underneath the fence. Ho found it about four minutes after loaving White. The Senior-Sergeant wished to put in a list of previous convictions, but his Worship upheld Mr Hunter’s objection. “ I am not satisfied that the police have made out a prima facie case,” said his Worship. “ There is not Ijenough connection between i a boused and the bottle, to my mind. The-case is dismissed.”