The Charge of Perjury

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5337, 15 August 1895, Page 2

The Charge of Perjury

» . ■ The deep and wide-spread public interest' in the oharge of perjury againßt G. J. Bruce was Bhown by the crowded state of the Supreme Court when the caae came on fcr hearing yesterday. The gallery was packed, and a few ladies well known in connection with the prohibition movement occupied seats in the front row. The police kept the body of the Court clear by excluding all not priviledged to be there. A number of ministers and prohibitionist leaders were among those present. Mr Bussell defended the accneed, who pleaded not guilty in a lond and decided tone. Both his counsel and Mr Stringer, who conducted the case for the Crown, freely exeroised their powers of selection when the jury was chosen, Mr Bussell exhausting his power of challenging by objecting to twelve of those whose nameß were drawn, while seven others were ordered to stand aside by the Crown. The evidence for the Crown was the same as that which was given in the lower court, For the defence it was stated that the alleged perjury had arisen through the manner in which, at the Licensing Committee, a question had been put to the accused by Mr Weston, who, it was deposed, first asked Bruce how far he could see down George Street from his window. Bruce, it was Btated, replied thai; he could see the upper part. Mr Weston was said to have remarked, paraphrasing the answer, "Exactly, as far as the bar," and almost in the same breath asked, "Do you know Coker's Hotel P M Bruce, thinking that he was replying to the latter question only, said "Yes." The jury, after a retirement of fifty minutes, acquitted the accused, who was discharged to receive hearty congratulations from bis friends outside the building. ' j