COURT NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 10 December 1928, Page 7

COURT NEWS.

Missing Solicitor. DEFICIENCY OF OVES £710.'. AUCKLAND, Ded mber 6. A petition to have Hector Robert Malcolm, the missing Auckland Solicitor. declared bankrupt, has been filed in the Supreme Ccmrt, and will be dealt with at the bankruptcy sitting il txt Triday. At. a "meeting of creditors on Tues day it was stated that Malcolm's trust account, showed a. deficiency of over £7OOO, and that ho was believed t'o be in Sydney. BANKRUPTCY CASE. SOLICITOR’S CLAIMS OPPOSED. WELLINGTON, December S. For three consecutive hour?, a Wellington solicitor, Sir Kenneth Douglas, was subject to a running fire of questions at the adjourned meeting of the creditors in the bankrupt estate of Leslie Johnson, advertising agenr. Upper Hutt. The subject of the crossexamination was largely confined to the financial relations between the bankrupt and witness in numerous business ventures. At the conclusion of the meeting the following resolution was carried: —‘ ‘That Sir Kenneth Douglas’s claims as creditor, whether secured or unsecured, be not admitted until the solicitors for the Official Assignee have recommended their admission. ’ ’ Sir Kenneth Douglas, complaining of the heckling nature of cross-examina-tion, made a reservation that all his statements at the meeting were made subject to documentary confirmation. STOLEN SAFE. PALMERSTON N., December 6. During the last week-lud, the premises of Christie, Tobacconist, Rangitikei Street, were broken into, and the safe, containing a considerable t sum of money, was removed, iu addition to a large quantity of stock. This inorning, Detective Barling arrested James Morton MdGill. 26, <*ar salesman, of Dannevirke, who was charged with breaking and entering the premises and removing therefrom the safe containing £44 iu cash, and £23 iu chequ e.

On accused being remanded to December 14, counsel applied for bail, which. Senior-Detective “Quirk opposed. The i c afe, he said, had not yet b?«n traced. The principal evidence aga’ust accused at present were finger prints found on the premises. Thic Btnch refused bail. *" CHARGE AGAINST PORIRUA OFFICIAL. WELLINGTON, December 8. The hearing of a charge against a warder at Pori run, was adjourned after plaintiff’s evidence had bee i taken. In cross-examination, he said he did not call for help as none of the warders would have assisted him. lie admitted that he had given trouble at various times, but alleged that accused had attacked scores of other men. SEXUAL CHARGE. TAUMARUNUI, December 6. At tho Police Court, a young man, Bernard Hubert Morphy, was charged with indecently assaulting a girl, aged five years and eight months, at TaumarunuF on Decf jmber 2. Sergeant Dwyer applied for a remand til! Tuesday, which was* granted, accused being allowed bail, self in £lOO and one security of £lOO. SOLICITOR SUSPENDED. CHRISTCHURCH, December 7. In the Supreme Court, Judge Adams made an order suspending Percival Lewis Gribb Indcr from practising aa barrister and solicitor until th Court of Appeal has given its decision in Indor’s case. The order was no! opposed. FORGED CHEQUE. CHRISTCHURCH, December 7. Robert Henry Escher 23, for forg ing a cheque, was admitted to proba tion fop three years, provided he made restitution of £9. and refrained from attending racecourses and gambling. THEFT FROM SAWMILLS. PALMERSTON N.. Dec. 7. In I’the ‘Magistrate’s Court, Janies Ruskin Robertson, 46 years, timber yard worku*-, pleaded iguilty to six charges o f theft from the Taringamu tu Totara Sawmills. Ltd, Palmer ton North, by whom he was employed. The total sum involved was £lO4. Accused elected to be dealt with summarily pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody to Monday. JURY’S VERDICT AGAINST EVIDENCE. CHRISTCHURCH. December 7. A Supreme Court judgment was set aside to-day by Judge Adams, and he ordered a new trial on the ground that the jury’s finding on the third issu< submitted to it was against the weigh* of evidence. The case was heard in Timaru. when Wililam Ander'on sued John I nder hill for damages, as the result of a collision between the former’s moto’ cycle and I nderhill’s deli\eiy s.i'i The jury awarded Anderson £330 special damages, and £3OO general damage*. holding that Underhill had been guilty of negligenc\ On the third issue, the jury held the plain tiff not guilty of negligence.