A SCENE IN A VICTORIAN COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4142, 30 June 1874, Page 3

A SCENE IN A VICTORIAN COURT.

A warm passage-at-arms occurred a few days before the departure of the Claud Hamilton, in the Supreme Court at Melbourne, between Dr. Dobson and Mr. K. D. Ireland. It seems to have been the last of several. The Aye speaks of it as follows : —Another scene took place during the progress of the case of Heffernan v. O'Brien on Saturday in the Supreme Court, and one far more serious than that of the previous day. Dr. Dobson had, when Mr. J. J. Heffernan was under cross-examina-tion, wanted to know whether his intimacy with a Miss Golding had not been of such a nature as to excite his wife's jealousy. This was regarded by the counsel on the other side as an imputation on Miss Golding’s character, and Mr. Ireland afterwards asked Mr. Heffcrnan a question on the subject. On Saturday Miss Golding herself was called as a witness, and Mr. Ireland asked her a question as to her relations with Mr. Heffernan. The witness denied that there had been any improper relations between them, and Dr. Dobson said that ho had not made any imputation upon Miss Golding’s character, but her counsel had. Mr. Ireland replied that he had not done so, to which Dr. Dobson warmly retorted, “ you lie.” Mr. Justice Barry rose from his seat, took up his note-book, and in an indignant manner said he had not heard the like of such conduct and language for the last twenty years amongst members of the bar. It was vulgar and indecent. Dr. Dobson said ho was justified in protecting his character, and that Mr. Ireland had begun the attack. His Honor told Dr. Dobson that he behaved in the most outrageously improper manner, and should apologise. Dr. Dobson contended that His Honor was making fish of one and flesh of another, for Mr. Ireland was equally to blame. Mr. Justice Barry said ho did not want to handy vulgar proverbs with Dr. Dobson, and considered he ought to withdraw the expression he had used. Dr. Dobson said, if that was His Honor’s view of his conduct, ho begged to ■withdraw his offensive observations. His Honor said in that case tho business of the Court might proceed, but he could not help remarking with regret that lately a great deal of coarse language had been used in his Court, and much acerbity of manner shown by one gentleman to another. His Honor referred to a case in which a hamster had been fined £SO for misbehaviour in Court several years ago. Tho business of the Court then went on, hut the ire of Mr. Ireland was not appeased for a long time, and he evidently wished that Dr. Dobson would accept the offer previously given to come outside. Later iu the day Dr. Dobson sent a letter of apology to Mr. Ireland. The legal quarrel was the subject of much comment throughout, aud it was generally admitted that nothing so discreditable had taken place in open Court for many years.