PERJURY AND CORRUPTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22137, 15 December 1933, Page 8

PERJURY AND CORRUPTION

SOLICITOR'S AGENT CHARGED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 14. John Black Batchelor, aged 32, a solicitor s agent, remanded from December 5, to-day faced several charges _in the Magistrate’s Court alleging perjury in the Supreme Court, attempting to pervert the course of justice and tub- publication of evidence, a new charge preferred since the last sitting. It. was alleged that the accused, on November 30, attempted to dissuade James Henry Duncan Campbell, by bribe or other corrupt means, from giving evidence in the case against accused. The case was the sequel to Supreme Court proceedings heard on August 24, in which Cyril Dixon petitioned for dissolution of his marriage with Isobel Dixon, when the accused gave .evidence. James Henry Duncan Campbell, a labourer, said he knew the accused, and had sometimes done bailiff’s work for him. On May 26 last it was arranged that he should go out to Islington with a Mrs Dixon in a car. “ I was supposed to get on intimate terms with her and so forth.” The accused gave witness various directions concerning names, etc. Later Batchelor reiterated the arrangements. Witness was to tell Mrs Dixon that he was a fellow-worker of her husband, and would take her out to Islington. He was to stop the car off the journey so that the accused could come on the scene and challenge the woman. Witness proceeded to describe how the arrangements were carried out and how the accused did appear when the car stopped at Sockburn,

Campbell denied that there had been any misconduct, and said ha had been paid 30s for the part he played in making the car trip to Islington. Evidence was also given by the court officials concerning the accused’s state-' ments in the Supreme Court. Mrs Dixon, who gave her age as 184 years, said she had been living apart from her husband practically since her marriage in 1932. On May 25 shs wrote to him at Islington asking him to come and see her with a view to attempting a fresh start together. On the following evening a man came to the house and explained that he wag a friend of her husband’s and would take her out to see him. She agreed to go. On the way he stopped the car to have a drink in which she did not share, and while the car was stopped Bachelor opened the door and accused them of misconduct. Actually she wag sitting in one corner while the man, who had given the name of Williams, but whom she now knew as Campbell, was in another corner helping himself to a second drink. She went to Batchelor’s office where he asked her to sign a statement saying that she had committed adultery with a man she would not name. At first she refused, but he made threats and eventually, aa she was tired and worn out and wanted to go home, she signed. Batchelor pleaded not guilty to all charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on all except one charge, that of attempting to dissuade a witness from , giving evidence. The magistrate held that in respect of this charge the evidence was scarcely strong enough to warrant him in sending the accused for trial.

The accused was allowed bail, self in £SOO, and one surety of £SOO.