The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-11 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

RAILWAY LUGGAGE.—In the Court of Queen's Bench,
on Monday, a discussion of some importance to railway
travellers was raised on a County Court appeal. The
question was whether a rocking-horse, 44 inches long,
and weighing 781 b., could - be considered as the
personal luggage of a railway traveller. An animated
debate ensued, and Justice Haunen said that the defini-
tion of luggage in the dictionary was, "anythingcumbrous
and difficult to carry," which definition applied here. The
counsel for the company said he had known cases in
which passengers had insisted on carrying a barrel of beer
or a sack of potatoes. Numerous cases were put in the
course of the argument ; the case of a gentleman carrying
home a salmon or a barrel of oysters fur dinner, or a
hamper of wine foe his cellar, or a case of booksfor reading
in the train, and so forth. Mr. Justice Hannen suggested
that the rule might, perhaps, be laid down,tilg passengerss—tliatthe
passenger was entitled to have anything which
usually or generally required for their personal
use or accommodation on a journey, which would
include a bath or bathing-tin, but exclude a rocking.
horse or cradle. The court gave judgment for the
company, though they were not prepared to hold that
luggage must be strictly limited to articles of personal use.
They thought, however, that it might be held to apply to
all articles usually carried by passengers, a definition
which excluded the rocking-horse.
PUBLICANS AND THE POLICE.—On Monday the land-
lord of a public-house at Cheshunt, Herts, was summoned
for knowingly harbouring the police. It was stated
that a constable on duty in the neighbourhood went
into the defendant's house a few minutes before eleven
at night, and called for a pint of beer, which he
drank, and left the house. The constable admitted that
he had done so, but said he was hot more than five minutes
in the house, a statement that was confirmed by wit-
nesses. The chairman doubted whether a licensed
victualler had any right to serve a constable on duty, but
the solicitor for the defendant argued that the constable
might have to explain his conduct to the authorities at
Scotland-yard, and that the licensed victualler could
not refuse to serve any person that might present himself.
After some discussion, the chairman said the point was a
knotty one, and the bench dismissed the case.
HIRING A PIANO.—On Monday, in the second Court of
Queen's Bench, an action was brought byCramer and Co.,
Regent-street, to recover the value of a piano from
Mr. Mott. In February of last year, a gentleman
named Wynne came to lodge with defendant, and brought
with him a piano, which he had hired of the plaintiff
on the three years' system. Last November Wynne
made default in his payment for the piano, axle'
some time after the plaintiff sent to the defendant's home
for the piano. He refused to part with it until the rent
was paid. The defendants shortly after sold the instru-
' ment to recover their rent. The jury returned a verdict
for the defendant.

REPORTERS AND BOARDS OF GUARDIANS.—At
the last meeting of the Newport (Wales) Board of Guar-
dians, Colonel Lyne moved a resolution to the effect that
the representatives of the press be admitted to the meet-
ings of the board. This was opposed by several speakers.
One—the Rev. Chancellor Williams—" considered it
would be detrimental to the interests of the board if the
press were admitted ;" another gentleman felt assured that
if the board passed the motion Lord Tredegar would
resign his seat as president. This threat was warmly taken
up by those members who were in favour of reporters being
admitted, it being contended that it had nothing to do
with the real question at issue. Ultimately the motion
was carried by the narrow majority of one. Through a
technicality, a second division was called for, when the
motion was again carried by the same majority.

We, Pall Mall Gazette, are informed that within
the past few days the Director-General of the Army Med'eal
Department has addressed a communication to the vari-
ous medical officers in charge of distric's and invaliding
depots calling for an official statement of any cases of
"cupping" that have como under their i otic,L If the
Secretary of State is really anxious to get at the truth,
weal it not bo as well to call for independent testimony on
the subject from vtli,:efs cud men ? It is hardly to be ex-
pected that the Incilic:A officers who havo lent themselves to
this eli,;traceful
practice will come fo..ward to coufess•it.
from what we hear answers are being coriceeta.l to the of
ficial interrogatories of a vague, evasivo kind, in!ended to

Mr. James Mellor, spiritrcctificr, of Hunter strect,
Liverpool, was summon, d before Vte borough wagiAratus
on Saturdiy, charged by the Excise authorit:es with hav!ng
on his premises 81 gallons of spirits in excess of the qaautity
debited to him. It appeared from the statement of Itlr.
Tyndall, who prosecuted, that tho defendant had paid the
penality on four previous occasions to the Excise, who now
thought it high timo that the matter should bo brought
before the public. The explanation was that the ex-
cess was accidental and undiscovered, and that varia-
tions in the quantity of stock were unavoidable,
they being frequently against the distiller, who neverthe-
less was required to pay duty on the larger quantity. no
bench, having no power to mitigate the penalty, fined Mr.
Mellor £B4, being 20e. per gallon for every gallon in excess,
the spirits
_being also forfeited to the Crown.