SUPREME COURT. CRIMINAL SITTINGS.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 33, 9 February 1899, Page 6

SUPREME COURT. CRIMINAL SITTINGS.

(Before his Honour Mr. Justice Edwards.) This Day. THE IIALCOMBE ASSAULT CASE. The case for the prosecution in the charge against Albert Whiskie of attempted criminal assault at Halcombe on the Gth November last did not conclude until this morning. The assault is supposed to have been attempted at about half- past 8 o'clock on a Sunday evening over a mile away from the township. The defence sought to prove an alibi, and for this purpose several witnesses were called. Eliza Cowdrey, storekeeper at Halcombe, said that she spoke to the accused at her gate at about a quarter to 9 o'clock on the night in question. She was certain about the time, because she always went to bed at 9 o'clock on Sunday night. George Hirst, labourer, stated that he met Whiskie about half-past G o'clock that Sunday night. Several others were there, and about 8 some of them went to the Primitive Methodist Church to " put in time." Afterwards they stood at Cowdrey's corner, and then went to the Halcombe Hotel, which they left about 9 o'clock, finally separating at 10 o'clock. Frank Wilcox gave similar evidence. He first heard of the assault the following morning after breakfast from Miss Williams, who said she heard it from Mr. Wapp, uncle of the girl assaulted. The witness was cross-examined by Mr. Gully pretty closely as to whether or not he aud others had talked over the matter and their evidence. First he replied, "No," and finally, after some hesitation, said, "Yes." Counsel for the defence suggested that the witness might have misunderstood the question, Avhereupon his Honour, addressing the witness, said — Why don't you answer a plain and simple question ? When you are asked if you talked this matter over why don't you give a plain answer. Have you talked this matter over with Hirst ?— Witness : Yes. And with the prisoner ? — Yes. And with all the rest ? — Yes. Then, why didn't you say so at first ? It would have saved trouble and saved casting doubt on your evidence by the wwar} r in which you have behaved. Mr. Gully— Then am I to understand that your evidence as to the time is the result of an agreement between you and the others and Whiskie ?— Yes. Later on Mr. Gully enquired if it was not a fact that they had agreed upon a defence, and the witness replied, "Yes"; but he declined to admit that they had subscribed to pay the expeuses, or that they had met in regard to it. They had not talked the case over since Whiskie was committed for trial — they had talked about it, but they had not made up what to say about it. You arranged what to say before ?— Yes. (Left sitting.)

[BY TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Bth February. At the Supreme Court the case against Timothy Troy, of Auckland, who was' charged with "ringing in" a dog at the recent meeting of the Hawkes Bay Coursing Club, occupied all day. The accused was found Not Guilty. Napier, This Day. At to-day's sitting of the Supreme Court George Henry Ennis, for embezzlement, was sentenced, to two years' imprisonment. Waldemar Ericksen, convicted of theft, was admitted to six months' probation, and ordered to pay £5 towards the costs of the prosecution. Invercargill, Bth February. -The Supremo Court was occupied all day with a cattle-stealing case against H. and H. Nicholls, father and son, in which the wife of the elder Nicholls refused to answer a question as to the name of a person who had left her house with her son the night before the theft, and was threatened with committal for contempt of Court. His Honour remarked that he had thought that up to that point the case for the prosecution whs weak, but the woman's refusal put a new aspect on the matter. He did not commit her for contempt of Court, but ordered her removal and tha keeping of her iv custody. At a later stage Mrs. Nicholls was brought in, and explained that she had made a mistake of a week in regard to some matter, and being afraid to acknowledge it had refused to reply to the question put by the Crown Prosecutor. The explanation was accepted, and she was set at liberty. The case will be decided to-morrow. This Day. William Livingstone, aged 21 years, charged with criminal assault on two girls, pleaded Guilty of indecent assault, and the plea was accepted by the Crown Prosecutor. It was urged for the accused that he was weak-minded, and that his father had died in an asylum ; also that no- physical injury was done to the girls. Mr. Justice Pennefather said the man's mental condition was a good reason for not inflicting corporal punishment, but it was all the more reason why society should be saved from his presence. Accused was sentenced to four years' imprisonment on each oharge, the sentences to be concurrent. The jury has not yet returned in the case of the Nichollsee, charged with perjury.

The betrothal of the Queen of the Netherlands to Prince William ot Weid, which has been privately communicated to the principal European Courts, will be formally announced shortly, and it is understood (says the World) that their marriage is to take place at Amsterdam in April next. Officials in Holland are at present engaged in settling the future rank and precedence of Prince William. It is improbable that the Prince will be created a King Consort, the last personage who bore that title having been the grandfather of the present King of Portugal, who was a member of the Hungarian branch of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family, and a first cousin of the Queen and of Prince Albert. It is expected that Prince William will be naturalised in Holland, and that the Queen will then issue letters patent declaring him to be a member of the Dutch Royal Family, and giving him the precedence due to his position. The Dutch experts in constitutional law are believed to be in favour of following the precedent which was created in 1840 when the Queen married Prince Albert under precisely similar circumstances. A Regency Bill will have to be passed directly after the Queen's marriage, and. if the English precedent of 1840 is followed, Prince William will bo named Regnnu if Queen Wilhehnina dies leaving children. Mr. Gilrutb, Chief Government Veterinarian, on his recent visit to Southland, fo'iml that the mortality amongst the pij,'s in that part of the colony was due to contagious pneumonia. The Agricultural Department has ordered the isolation of the auimals affected.