THE PANDORA CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13048, 13 December 1905, Page 6

THE PANDORA CASE.

. CONTINUATION OF HEARING. ' DUCHESS OF BEDFORD AS A WITNESS. - ■'I [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] : London, November 11. Thomas Caradoc Kerry (who, according to a recent cablegram, is under commital) was brought up on remand at the Bow-street Police Court yesterday, on the charge of stealing books which h'a, had undertaken to convey to the inhabitants of Tristan d'Aciuiha. Mr. Muir and Mr. Bodkin (instructed by Mr. Cohen, of the Treasury) prosecuted; Mr. George Elliott (instructed by Messrs. Lewis, and Lewis) defended. De-tective-Inspector Smaile, of Scotland Yard, represented the police.

Several witnesses gave evidence of the presents for'the. Islanders they had- sent to the Pandora.

Tho Duchess of Bedford was the next witness.' She stated that in 1904 she saw a, notice in the newspapers to the effect that the Pandora was about to proceed to Tristan d'Acunha', and would take # out presents intended for the inhabitants of that island. She therefore requested her secretary, Miss Brown, to pack up and send to the Pandora a number of books which she thought would be welcomed by the islanders. They were packed in boxes. "

Mr. Muir: Tell me, madam, if you would have sanctioned their use for any other purpose?— That would have depended upon circumstances. - ; ;,?:

Have you sanction id their use for any other purpose? No. Mr. Elliott, (cross-examining): Are you aware that it was necessary to open the boxes containing the books, as they were too large to go down the hatchway?—l have not seen the boxes, but my secretary informs me that it was the cabin door, not the hatchway, that caused the difficulty. Mr. Elliott: I will how to the secretary ; I have no doubt she is right. Would you have had any objection, madam, to the books remaining in the defendant's saloon during the voyage?—l do not think they ought to have been there. It must have been a very small hatchway if it was not large enough for the box. And if the books had been put into the saloon would you. have had any objection to their being -Perhaps not, if I had been consulted..

They had no opportunity of consulting you, madam.—Then they should not have read the books.

If you had been there you would, no doubt" have consented?—lt entirely depends upon circumstances. I might have done. I do not know whether you have heard the defendant's explanation as to why some of the books were not landed at Tristan? I have not. •

Do you know that some of them were landed*, and that owing to the yacht's rudder being broken the defendant was afraid of being cast ashore, and that in the confusion the books in the saloon were overlooked?— No.

Have you heard that the books not landed were placed in a bag labelled "To be returned to the inhabitants of Tristan d'Acunha?"—l have read it.

; Mr. Elliott: I need not . trouble Your Grace with any more questions, but I would like, on behalf of. the defendant, to express tho extreme regret he feels that you should have been troubled in this matter. •■-■'"

Mr. Muir produced a letter which the Duchess of Bedford said she received from the defendant in July. .; Mr. Muir said it was to a great extent similar to the letters sent to most of the people!who had sent presents to the islanders,, hut it differed from them inasmuch as it contained the following passage: — They (the'islanders) particularly requested mo to convey to Your Grace their most, sincere thanks for Your Grace's very kind present, and to say that it was much appreciated.'"' ■: .'( • -•.-.' -■

Miss Ethel Hamilton Brown, secretary to the Duchess of Bedford, slated that the books sent to the islanders from YVobura Abbey were about 120 to 150 in number. She helped the Duchess to select them. Two boxes, about 2£ft square -were made for them, and each box was provided with a waterproof lining. The books were not new. They had been read, but they were in a good state of preservation. Witness now saw in Court about one quarter of the; books which had been scut from Woburn Abbey for the use of the .inhabitants of Tristan d'Acunha. They appeared to have gone through a great deal since they were despatched by witness.