SUPREME COURT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2954, 28 November 1900, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, November, 27. Judgment was given by the Chief Justice to-day in the case Bannatyne and Company versus the Collector of Customs. The action was brought for the recovery of £3OO paid as poll tax on three Chinese seamen, who deserted from the steamer Indralema and evaded recapture. Hia Honour held tnat payment had not been voluntary under mistake of the law, and that defendant having paid the money over to the Treasury could not be sued. The trial was continued at the Supreme Court to-day of Mary Henderson on a charge of having murdered Mary Luke by the performance of an illegal operation. The medical witnesses called by the Crown were under examination all day, their evidence being of the kind usual in such cases.

DUNEDIN, November 27.

In Con O’Brien’s case, in connection with a, remark of the accused that the name attached to the cheque was fictitious, His Honour pointed out that under the Criminal) Code, although a document was not complete and not binding at law, it was forgery if made and intended to be acted upon as genuine. The case against George Knight Noble and William Trigance, of stealing suits from their employer, was not concluded when the Court rose.