The recent cases of Major Bell Murray and Mr. F.
H. B. Champain, who were convicted of " street offences," but who " entirely vindicated " their characters on appeal, have excited uneasiness about the nature of the evidence that is accepted in police courts. We think it ought to be established that the uncorroborated evidence of a constable is not enough. Some other witness should also be produced. We cannot join in many of the charges which are being flung at the police. As a Force they are rightly careful of public conduct in the streets, and they have a high sense of responsibility, but it is too much to expect of men who are not highly educated that they should always be wise and discriminating. One notices in police evidence the recurrence of formulas and regular phrases which cannot possibly have a precise meaning, but are treated as though they had.
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