6 JULY 1951, Page 7

I am indebted to an article in the Law Journal,

quoted in the news-sheet of the Bribery and Secret Commissions Prevention League, for knowledge of a legal case of very much more than ordinary interest. During the war some enterprising persons who were running contraband goods in Egypt prevailed on a British sergeant serving in that country to stand on the runninrboard of the lorry carrying the goods—just that and nothing more ; the presence of a sergeant in uniform completely disarmed suspicion. For this neither arduous nor perilous service he received pay- ments amounting in all to no less than £20,000. However, he was ultimately detected, arrested and court-martialled, and the £20,000 was confiscated by the Crown. Taking that distinctly amiss he brought an action for recovery Of the sum. Various fine points of law, into which I will not enter, were involved, and the £20,000 began to recede when Mr. Justice Denning dismissed the case. The sergeant, however, appealed, but the Court of Appeal, through Lord Justice Asquith, came to the same con. elusion. Still undaunted, the indomitable sergeant went on to the House of Lords. There a variety of Law Lords delivered a variety of opinions, none of them, however, in favour of the sergeant's claim. So he loses his £20,000 finally—and you can't carry a case to the Lords via the Court of Appeal for nothing. *