CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1920, Page 5

CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE

DUXEDIN ABOHTIOX CASE

SUIT WITHDRAWN. GIRL SILENT IN THE BOX. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. After a series of vicissitudes unpi ecedented iu the history of criminal trials in New Zealand, the case against Janies Reynolds ilayne, a Dunedin chemist, who was charged with unlawfully using an instrument to procure abortion, came to a sudden end this morning.

Gladys Batchelor was again placed in the witness-box, but would not reply to any questions. Mr Macassey then entered a nolle prosequi and Ilayne left the lock. The Crown Prosecutor made a declaration that it seemed toiTim tliat the ends of justice were being defeated by a conspiracy pf silence. A nolle prosequi means, in law, that a plaintiff or an attorney for the public withdraws a suit. Wh en the Hayne case was resumed yesterday afternoon, Heylon denied having had anything to do with the girl, or that she had ever told him her condition. Witness declared the girl’s statements at the earlier trial were lies. The girl Gladys Batchelor then entered the box, but she again refused to answer any questions. The Judge then abandoned the hearing till 11 o’clock to-morrow morning. Mr Wilxord mentioned the matter of bail for Hayne. The Judge replied: “I don’t suppose he will run away. I don’t see how he can run away. Perhaps if he did it would save us a lot of trouble.” LATER To-day. Mr Macassey said that he would deem it his duty to consider whether Heylou should not be prosecuted for perjury. Judge Edwards said tliat he thought it was his duty to say that if Hey lon had followed the example of the girl Batchelor arid stood mute it would not have been considered half as bad as his conduct. If he had done that there might have been some sympathy with him, for in. taking that course he would have been facing the punishment inevitable as a consequence. Hey lon had committed perjury, and it was undoubtedly the duty of those charged with the administration of justice to see, and that speedily, whether Hey10a could not be con victed of perjury. “It may be,” said- the Judge, “that there would be difuculty about that on account of the contumacy of the girl Batchelor, and lie might escape. I hone not, because it is plain that he has committed penury of the worst description. Regarding the girl Bachelor, the Judge said that if she had spoken he would have recommended her release, but he could not do that now,