A SUGGESTED REPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2320, 18 August 1898, Page 38

A SUGGESTED REPORT.

CIiRLSTCIIimCH, August 15.

At the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court to-day Mr Justice Donnifiton remarked that in many cases prisoners pleaded guilty in the lower court, yet tho Crown was put to the whole expense of taking evidence again in tho Supreme Court, and witnesses wore bound to attend. His Honor saw no real difficulty in providing that an opportunity should be given to persons pleading guilly in the lower court to maka antl pign a statement of guilt, which could be treated as evidence, and punishment could be lecorded. Later in the day the Grand Jury returned a presentment, in which they said that, having considered his Honor's remarks in reference to cases? of inconsiderable importance, in which accused admitted offences in the lower court, and wore committed in the ordinary course to the higher court, in which the whob of the evidence had to be repeated at, in some cases, groat inconvenience to witnesses and expense to the State, they respectfully presented that a change should be made in the procedure affecting such coses in the direction of enabling the records of evidence taken in the lower court to bo used as evidence before the Supreme Court, and so avoiding the inconvenience and expcn&e entailed in procuring its repetition.