COUNSEL'S PROTEST.

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1927, Page 8

COUNSEL'S PROTEST.

PEIVILEGES FROM POLICE

• (Sy Telegraph.) (Special U "The Evening Put.")

CHKISTCHTXECH, This Day. > At tho Magistrate's Court a "claim tot' £10 damages was made against "W. E. 1 Sime, a land agent, as damages alleged to have been suffered by 6. W. .Morris, a labourer, through negligence in the defendant's driving of a motorcar, when he collided with a bicycle ridden by the plaintiff. Mr. W. F. Tracy appeared' for the plaintiff and Mr. H. A. Young, S.M., was on the Bench. * ' Evide»ce of thr™ witnesses showed that Simes was driving on the wrong side of the road at between 25 and 30 miles an hour. Mr. Tracy protested when Simes liroauced a copy of what he Bald wa» a statement made to the police by Morns regarding the accident. "It appears to me," said counsel, "that some people m this city are allowed privileges which are denied to others. Superintendent of Police Eales, since he came to Christchurch, has laid it^ down that no statements made are to be given out, and counsel time after time have been refused requests, yet: here is a Justice of the Peace comin* to the Co*rt and saying that he has i copy of a statement made by the plaintiff to the police. There is something wrong somewhere."

• Giving evidence, Simes said the. cyclist came suddenly from behind two 5, others without a fight on his machine. Witness added that Morrig admitted the accident was his own fault. Simes S? l?,c^ g got the statement from Con. stable Griffen, who had reported the, accident. He had asked the Police Department for it and it was left at his office. He had no witnesses. Mr. Tracy claimed that the report was an exhibit. It had been produced and he had. cross-examined on it, but the defendant objected. The Magistrate held that it was not an exhibit, but just notes taken by a policeman. It appeared that the accident had never been reported.

Simes: "I reported it." v 'Judgment was given for the plaintiff for the amount claimed, £10, and costs totalling £3. 3s 6d.