PRIVATE DETECTIVES

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 August 1935, Page 4

PRIVATE DETECTIVES

COMMENT BY JUDGE “NOT VERY NICE MINDS” ADVICE TO THE JURY. (By Teleg-rapti— Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 6. The need to consider with caution the evidence of private detectives was emphasised by Mr Justice Callan when summing up in a divorce action heard in the Supreme Court. The evidence of several inquiry agents had been taken during the proceedings and his Honour’s comments applied in particular to the failure of two of them to retain brief notes made at the time of their observations. “(Private detectives, gentlemen, from the very nature of their profession have not very nice minds,” stated his Honour in addressing the jury. He found that he had to agree .with the English authorities that the evidence of paid investigators required careful examination. There were, of course, honest private detectives and there was no reason for that uo being the case in tho present action. One man who had been a private detective had used notes concerning his observations, and these were of assistance, in spite of the criticism of counsel. The position was different with the evidence of two other witnesses, a private inquiry agent and his assistant. His Honour advised the jury to consider the case as though neither of these . witnesses had given evidence. He said an extraordinary and reprehensible habit of destroying all contemporary records had been revealed in the case of these men.