CHARGES OF PERJURY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 225, 23 September 1898, Page 8

CHARGES OF PERJURY.

PROCEEDINGS AGAINST EX-

CONSTABLES.

SEQUEL TO ALBION HOTEL

FRACAS.

This morning ex-Constables Skinner, Mcßae, Scott, and Jackson appeared at the Police Court in answer to charges of perjury in connection wiih the recent Police Court case against Alfred Harris, cabdriver. Mr 11. W. Brabant, S.M., Avas the presiding magistrate. Mr Cooper appeared for the prosecution; Mr Campbeii for the defence. Mr Campbell pointed out that this Avas a crime of which persons could not be charged jointly. It was an individual act, and each defendant must be charged separately. It avouUl, he thought, lie necessary to take four sets of depositions, one in each case. Mr Brabant: I don't see how else it could be done in this case. .The charges Avere accordingly tnkon seriatim, commencing with the case of ex-Constable Skinner. John Win, Skinner was charged that at Auckland, during the hearing of a charge against Alfred Harris at the Police Court for the alleged use of obscene language in a public place, he did commit perjury by swearing'sto the effect that the s;ikl Alfred Hams did use such obscene language.

Mr Cooper in opening the case said that the charge arose out of a prosecution which was instil uted in consequence of ;m affair at the Albion Hole! on August 4. It appeared that, Harris, the party prosecuted, was in the hotel, and in consoqence of what, look place he was .subsequently arrested and charged among • other things with using obscene language. When this charge came up for hearing there Avas no written information. After a remand, the case Avas tried be- : fore Mr T. Hutchison, S.M., on August 12. In the course of the trial the defendant Skinner, who Ava* then a constable, swore absolutely to the use of this language, and as counsel understood, the defendant not only swore that, the language Avas used, but sAvorc that he took the Avords doAvn in writing. There Avere a number of other Avitnesses Avho corroborated the defendant in that respect, namely, the ex-constables now charged in the present proceedings. A great burden of evidence Avas called for the, defence, with the result that Mr Hutchison dismissed the case, holding that the Avords had not been uttered. Counsel thought that His Worship on hearing the Avhole of the evidence in this case Avoukl come to the conclusion that there Avas a case for a jury to i consider. It was one which in the interests of the public ought to go to the Supreme Court. Formal evidence for the prosecution Avas given by Frederick W. Burgess, clerk of the Magistrate's Court, Francis J. Stewart, clerk at the Police Court, Constable Crean. The case is proceeding.