LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1750, 15 May 1913, Page 9

LAW REPORTS.

SUPREME COURT. MOLESTING A CHINESE HOUSE. EUROPEANS' CONDUCT. The criminal sessions of llio Supremo Court wore continued yesterday before the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Three cases remained to be dealt with, and there was only 0110 remaining when the adjournment was taken Inst evening. Mi. 11. 11. Ostler, of the Crown Law Office, represented the Crown. On the night alter St. Patrick's Day a fracas occurred at iv house in irederick Street, in this city, and in consequence ot this two young men appeared in Ihe dock yesterday to answer a charge of assaulting a Chinese, Charles Yung Sing, so as to cause him actual bodily harm. The two youu" men were Vincent Purniss and iieorgo Patrick M'Namara. There-were alternative counts against them of assault with intent and common assault. Both accused pleaded not guilty, Mr. J. J. M'Grath appearing for M'Nnmara, and Mr. E. J. Pitzgibbon ior Purniss. Evidence called for the prosecution was to the cffect that nt about ten oclock on the night of March 18, l'uriuss and M'Namara went to Sings house, 111 Frederick Street. Pui-niss asked for some clothing, and, on being told by Sing tlwl the place was not a laundry, ho struck Sing on tho bead with an empty bottle. About the same time M'Namara threw* a [bottle at Sing. The latter called for help, and another Chinese, ivlio came to his assistance, observed that Purniss and M'Namara wero armed with fenco pickets. Subsequently the polico and Dr. Martin wero called in. Iho doctor found Sing to bo suffering from several severe wounds. When arrested, lurniss and M'Namara made certain statements to the police. Fumiss informetl Dctecti\e-bei-geant Cassells that it was M'Namara who had committed the assault with the bottle and, on Purniss's statement being read to M'Namara, tho latter said, "That's right, Mr. Cassells. I threw bottle at the Chinaman.. . Evidenco was not called for the defence, Mr. M'Grath amTJIr. contenting themselves with addresses the jurv. , , In summing up, his Honour threw* out tho suggestion to' tile jury that theio should be no conviction on the count ot intent. There was no evidenco to supretired to consider their verdict at two minutes past one o clock. At 3.25 p.m. a verdict of guilfv of common assault. was returned against both prisoners, the jury expressing the opinmn that M'Namara was less culpable than Purjiiss. , , Sentence will be passed to-morrow morning. PERJURY CHARGE. BRIEF EVIDENCE AND "NOT GUILTY."

Georgo Williams,-a carter by occupation, was charged with having committed perjury in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington on March ID. It was alleged that during tho hearing of a charge of assault brought against Williams by his wife, ho falsely swore that he was not in Ins who s houso on March 5. , . Mr. J. J. M'Grath appeared for \\illiams, who pleaded not guilt}*. Evidence in the case was brief, and the jury, who retired at 3.-10 p.m., returned twenty minutes later with a verdict or not guilty. The prisoner was discharged.