WASTING TIME.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18917, 4 February 1927, Page 10

WASTING TIME.

MR JUSTICE HERDMAN PROTESTS [THIS PRESS Special Sut!c«.] AUCKLAND, February 3. A verdict of not guilty was return* od by tbe jury in tbe Supreme Court upon a charge against William Holmes (Mr Sullivan), a waterside worker, of using obscene language on two occasions ou the wharf. Accused could have been dealt with summarily in the Magistrate's Court, but had invoked his right to be tried by jury. The chief witness for the prosecution wns the Harbour Board gatekeeper, who had stopped Holmes as he was leaving the wharf with a bundle of packing case timber for firewood. Holmes and e, number of waterside workers gave evidence to the effect that Holmes had told the gatekeeper that he "ought to have a putty medal," but that no obsceno language had been used. "It is high time the attention of the authorities was drawn to the absurdity of suck cases as this being brought to this Court, and taking up the time of juries," remarked Mr Justico Herclman in summing up. The hearing occupied in all, approximately three hours, and the jury took a furthei- SO minutes to reach its verdict.