A COMPLAINT

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1936, Page 5

A COMPLAINT

POLICE METHODS

COUNSEL IN SUPREME COURT.

(Per Press Association—Copyright)-

WELLINGTON, May 8.

AUegations against the conduct of the police were made and complaints against the publication of the Lower Court evidence were repeated to-day at the Supreme Court, in Wellington in a motor fatality case ,

Mr M. G. Neal, counsel for the defence said that iff ever an accused ) person had been prejudiced it wa.* tile accused. The report of the evidence in the Lower Court had occupied a good deal of space in the newspaper?. He had 'heard the case discussed in trams and elsewhere

' Mr Justice Blair: You can’t give evidence. All these cases of course, are reported in the newspapers. ..

Mr Neal said that the reports only gave one side of the ease. He did not suggest that any blame was attachable to the newspapers, but did complain about the police. It was within the power - of the prosecution to . produce all available evidence and that had not been done. The prosecution had stood by and allowed- an injustice to be done to the accused. Statements had been given to the police .which contradicted certain evidence. ;.vet- those statements were not produced at the inquest. That alone disclosed ah injustice*- Y - i His Honour said that the function *'' • > |of. the Coroner was to ascertain the cause of. .death and not to apportion; the blame. 1 . b - . ,

Mr Neah lf there was evidence available which was not called, and I submit there was, then, an injustice was/done to the accused because the reports of the inquest were not correct reports. His’Honour: You appear to assume that an ' inquest is held for the purpose'of apporting the blame. _ “Nothing of the kind,” Mr Neal said. He added that a witness would tell the jury that, when he suggested to the police that he should be called at the inquest, statements were made to him in‘derrogation of tile accused’s, character. ‘'v' . V

His Honour: That 'was ; nothiiig whatever to do with this case. I am not trying the conduct of the police arid T am not going to allow the jury to be bothered with a whole lot pf irrelevances of that kind. I am not., interested in the sins, of the police,’.;