LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1785, 3 November 1919, Page 11

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

4 It can happen most rarely that the foreman of the Grand Jury, at the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, is a brother of the presiding Judge. This, however, was the ease at the Supreme Court, Christchurch, this morning, the foreman of 3 the Grand Jury, Mr J. G. Herdman,. ; being a brother of his Honour Mr Jus-i tice Herdman. In returning a true bill in the case/; of Eobert Dickson Warden, the escapee from Mt. Eden Gaol, who was tried at j the Supreme Court to-day on charge of theft from dwelling houses, the Grand ' i Jury recommended that Constable liams, of Sydenham, who Warden in Sydenham, should be com- -'M mended for his action. His Honour said 1 he would send the recommendation tOiS the Department of Justice. Several of the common jurors' sum- «9 nioned tp attend at the criminal session,,l of the Supreme Court this morning ~q asked to be excused. Some pleaded pressure of business, but these his Honour refused to excuse, pointing out that hardly sufficient jurors had been empanelled for this session. Three jurors >] who were hard of hearing were, ex- 1 cused, and two others, suffering fronr A physical disabilities, were also not' 1 called upon to serve. Thomas C. Hatton | and Henry .Terry failed to answer to their names. They were fined £2 each, \ failing a satisfactory excuse;' According to a letter from the''Prime Minister to Mr P. K. CHmie, organiser of the Canterbury Progress League,-,, nothing definite can be stated with re- i gard to the date of running the through express from Invercargill to Christchurch. The Prime- Minister further states that the time-table is at present engaging the attention of _ the de- : partment. It is intended to institute ' an improved train service at the earliest possible" date, and in recasting the ; time-table the various representations § made to the department from different '.j localities in the Dominion are receiving consideration. The printing and pre- 1 paration of the time-table are matters of considerable magnitude, and the date on which effect can be given to the:| intention of the department depends to a considerable extent on the progress that can be made with the printing, and ■$ also the attitude of labour Organisations, more particularly those concerned in the winning and handling of coaL-|