SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5428, 2 December 1895, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

■"•"' ■'■-'. PPbr-Fbkbb Association.] : . . v WELLDTGtfON, Dec. 2. .In charging the Grand Jnry this morning the Chief Justice said the cases on. the calendar were considerably more numerous than üßiial, probably owing to the fact 'that the Sessions had to be adjourned, and some committals had taken place since the date first fixed for the sittings. Referring to thejabottion charges, His Honor said evidence of other acts of a similar kind by the same accused would be laid before the jury, and they Bbould consider this apart' from any subsequent argument as to its admissibility. Proof of ohargeß , of this nature was exceptionally difficult. His Honor then went on to refer to the ■ many cases of failure of justice that had occurred in charges such as these, and also , in cases of criminal assault on children, a , state of things which he attributad to the [ recent alteration in the law of evidence. . The law in this respect seemed to be in k favour of persons charged with the very ; worßt form of crime. He considered it hiß duty to call attention to this flaw in the law of evidence^ and regretted that this colony had* not availed itßelf of the experience of other colonies in regard to these cases. .At a later Btage the Chief . Justice recalled the foreman of the Grand Jury, and explained that in making his strictures' with regard to the law of evidence he had overlooked- Beotion 9 of the Evidence Further Amendment Act of -last session, which provided that a doctor's evidence aB to the nature of a charge could be accepted without reservation in a criminal case, but not in a civil case. Hiß strictures, therefore, must be taken to apply only to civil cases. The Grand Jury threw out the bills in the following cases :— -William Kaiaenberg, assault with intent ; William M'Dermott, sheepsfcealing ; William Delahunty, attempted suicide 5 and Albert Jeffrey, causing actual bodily harm. DTJNEDIN, Deo. 2. At the Supreme Court, Benjamin jtern, for a breach of the Bankruptcy Act, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment without hard labour. ': , John Coleman, for an unnaturalpffence, was 'sentenced to fifteen yearß'. j&prisonment. John Anderson, larceny, sisnionths, Victor Neyman, assaulting a f^bw-Bea-man, fourteen daya. 'Patrick/ Moore breakirg and entering, twelve lprths.