STERN REBUKE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 12 March 1928, Page 7

STERN REBUKE.

HAMILTON COURT' INCIDENT. CASE DISCUSSED WITH FOREMAN OF JURY. A stern rebuke was given to the mother of an accused person by Mr. Justice Blair, in the Hamilton Supreme Court, for attempting to discuss with the foreman of the jury a case in which her. son was concerned. On resumption of the Court on Thursday afternoon, Mr. H. T, Gillies, Crown Solicitor, said that the foreman hI the jury had reported that the mother ol an accused man had approached. him and had endeavoured to discuss the case with him.

Mr. Justice Blair had the person concerned called and asked her if what the foreman had said she had done was true.

“No, JL didn’t,” said the woman. “All I said was that it was nine years ago to-day since my boy returned from the war.” The Judge said that wliat the woman had done was a very serious matter. She had tried to influence the juiy. His Honour said that if anything like it occurred again he would have no hesitation in imposing a term of imprisonment on her for contempt of Court. The woman, he added, had done- a very dangerous thing. It was ioitunate that it was the foreman to whom she iiad spoken.

W hen counsel for accused asked for bail at the adjournment of the case, the application was opposed by Air. Gillies, and was refused by the Judge, who warned the public generally not tj attempt to discuss, a case with the jurymen.