READ REPORT IN PAPER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 31, 7 February 1928, Page 7

READ REPORT IN PAPER.

WOMAN'S EVIDENCE ADMITTED. UNUSUAL PROCEDURE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) NEW PLYMOUTH. Monday. Charges of cruelly ill-treating a horse were made against three men in the Magistrate's Court on Friday. The hearing was resumed to-day, when Mr. R. H. Guilliam, for the prosecution, said that since Friday he had received a letter from a lady who had seen the report of the proceedings in the newspapers and who thought she would be able to give material evidence on the matter. He suggested that she should be summoned to attend examination by the magistrate. Counsel for the defence objected, saving that such a course was calculated to induce perjury, or such person might be actuated by a spirit of partisanship or vindictiveness. The magistrate said applications of this kind would, of course, be verv sparingly granted! Evidence of this sort would be less valuable than first-hand evidence, but it might be very valuable according to the circumstanccs of the case and the kind of evidence. The evidence was then heard. Florence Julian, of Faeroa, said that she was in Taranaki at Christmas and returned by motor on December 27 to W aitara after the races. On the wav out she saw a young mail leading a horse, which was swinging one leg and had the skin off its shoulder and hip bones. It seemed to be knocked about and as if it had been rollinir in the dirt. Cross-examined, witness said sh". did not write the letter -which Mr. Guiiliam had received, nor did she know it had been written. It was probably written because of some discussion she had with the writer. Further evidence was then taken for the defence, which was a complete denial of the allegations. Decision was reserved.