REBUKE FOR COUNSEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19742, 15 September 1927, Page 14

REBUKE FOR COUNSEL.

LINE OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

[BY TZIJr.OBA.PH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Wednesday Strong exception to the line of cross examination adopted by a barrister was taken by Mr. Justice Herdman in the course of a civil action heard in the Hamilton Supreme Court to-day. Mr A B R Mossman was cross examining a witness, and with a view to testing the witness' credibility asked a numbei of questions which the Judge said were irrelevant His Honor warned counsel that he would stop the cross examination if he did not take care, and said that the line adopted by him would not do his case any good. In answer to counsel witness denied that he had been dismissed from his emplcyment Mr Mossman asked the witness if he had been convicted of an offence. Witness said he had been fined ten shillings without costs for using a bad word Mr Mossman had acted for him on that occasion, and had put up a poor defence. Mr Mossman said he did not act for witness in the Court,, but he had taken the witness" instructions. Witness retorted that Mr. Mossman had taken the instructions wrongly His Hcnor rebuked counsel, and said he was merely going out of his way to i blacken the witness' character. If he had bad more experience he would not i adopt such a course