MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 270, 14 November 1928, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

BREEZE AT HAKDUTOH. \y ■ V INTERFERING IN CROSS EXAMINATION. ' i '< ' (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. 4( short passage of arms occurred between Mr. Wyvera Wilson, S.M., and Mr. E. H. NorthcToft, counsel for the defence, in the case in which Janet Lymburn claimed £121 damages from H. W. Frost (Hamilton), Ltd., dentists, in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr. Northcroft, in cross-examining plaintiff, asked her if she had heard the conversation when she was sitting blindfolded in a dentist's chair.

The Magistrate said witness heard no conversation, but, according to her evidence, heard only one man speak to another. This could not be called a conversation. It appeared like an attempt to trap and mislead the witness. Mr. Northcroft (indignantly): If your Worship thinks it is my function to trap «nd mislead the witness His Worship: I don't. Mr. Northcroft (heatedly):* Then there is no need to interfere in my crossexamination. His Worship pointed out that the remarks witness heard may have been the end or the beginning of a conversation, but they certainly did not represent a conversation.

Mr. Northcrofti With the utmost respect, I wish to suggest to your Worship that if I am not to be permitted to erosa-examine witness as I think proper His Worship: I am suggesting nothing, but I am not going to have a witness told that she said something she did not say. Mr. Northcroft replied that he had not the slightest intention of trapping the witness, and continued with the crossexamination.