COURT CLEARED
Surprise for Curious LITTLE-USED POWERS Murder Charge Preliminary Dominion Special Service. New Plymouth, October 16. Mere curiosity on the part of the public occupying the back of the court at a preliminary hearing of the murder charge against Alexander Townsend was commented upon by the presiding magistrate, Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., today. He read section 143 of the Justices of the Peace Act, wherein It is stated that justices presiding at a preliminary hearing of evidence in respect of an indictable charge may order the public not concerned as witnesses to leave. The court in such cases was not an open court. It appeared to the magistrate that mere curiosity actuated the great majority of those present. He could not understand why they should wish to remain except for that reason. There was a large number of women witnesses who were naturally under considerable stress in the case, and he had decided to order the court to be cleared of all except those persons engaged as witnesses or those women who, being friends of the women witnesses exerted by their presence some degree of comfort.
The police officers then ordered the public not directly concerned to leave quietly.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19301017.2.105
Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 19, 17 October 1930, Page 11
Word Count
201COURT CLEARED Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 19, 17 October 1930, Page 11
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