POLICE CRITICISED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 56, 8 March 1946, Page 3

POLICE CRITICISED

"WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY,” SAYS COUNSEL (P.A.) Wellington, March 6. "A scandalous waste of publicmoney,” was the claim of Mr. A. J. Mazengarb in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington to-day in objecting to evidence called by the police in a case in which he was counsel for th® two accu.ed. The case was one in which two seamen, Ronald Alfred Shimmen, aged 32 years, and Malcolm Ernest Brooks, aged 21 years, were charged with the theft on January 12 of two lengths of suitaing valued at £67 13s 61d, the property of the New Zealand Shipping Company. Both men pleaded not guiltv and were commuted to the Supreme Court for trial. Mr. Mazengarb’s first objection came when the manager of the firm which imported the goods was giving evidence as to the goods being ordered from England. It was held by Mr. Mazengarb that the ownership of the good; was never in question. Later an indent agent from Christchurch proceeded to give similar evidence, when Mr. Mazengarb said it was a scandalous waste of public money as the witness was called to p‘ ove nothing that would be on Indictment and it was necessary for the countrv to nay for his attendance bo h that day and in the Supreme Cpurt. The magistrate agreed that the last witnes's evidence was unnecessary, and to prevent him having to appear in the Supreme Court ordered his evidence tn be ’Removed from record.