COURT’S TIME WASTED.
COMMENT BY MR JUSTICE i HERDMAN. AUCKLAND, February 3. A verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury in the Supreme Court, upon a charge-against .William Holmes (Mr Sullivan), a waterside worker, of using absceno language on two occasions on the wharf.
The accused could have been dealt with summarily -in the Magistrate’s Court, but had invoked his right to be tried by jury. The chief witness for the prosecution was the Harbour Board gatekeeper • who hud stopped Holmes as he was leaving the wharf with a bundle of packing case timber for firewood. Holmes and a number of waterside workers gave evidence to the effect that Holmes had told the gatekeeper that he “ought to have a putty medal,” but that no obscene language had been used. “It is high time the attention of the authorities was drawn to the absurdity of such cases as this being brought to this court and. taking Up the time of the juries,” remarked Mr Justice Herdman, in summing up. The hearing occupied in all approximately three hours. The jury took a further 50 minutes to reach" its verdict.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 4
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190COURT’S TIME WASTED. Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 4
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