TELEGRAPHIC.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12588, 19 August 1910, Page 5

TELEGRAPHIC.

SUPREME COURT PROCEDURE.

AMENDED RULES

(Per Press association.) WELLINGTON, August 18. Iho following rules, under Section 304 oi the Crimes Act, 1908, are gazetted to-night :—We, five of the judges or tho Supreme Court of N-ew Zealand (of which the Acting Chief Justice is one), in pursuance of the -powers conferred upon us by the 3S4th Section of the Crimes Act, 1908, hereby make the. following rules regulating the practice and procedure- under the saict Act: (1) Where on the trial of any accused person under the Crimes "Act, 1908, such accused person shall have given evidence for himself on his trial, such person shall not be cross-examined as to any previous conviction of such person without the previous permissicn ol^ the judge presiding at the trial; (2) Where it is desired to make an application to the judge for his permission under the last rule, the Counsel or other person making such application shall m making the same, state that he applies "for permission to cross-ex-amine the prisoner under these rules. He shall not in making such application in any way directly or indirectly indicate that his application is for permission to cross-examine the witless as to any previous conviction; (3) Counsel or the other person making such, application may, if he so thinks fit, submit to the judge a memorandum, in writing, indicating generally the questions which he proposes to asjk .the witness in cross-examination and any special reasons • which he may have for making such application; (4) The judge mayif be shall thing fit hear any such application in chambers; (5) Where a prisoner in addressing the jury makes statements of fact, the prosecutor shall, with, the leave of the judge, have the samo right' to call evidence to contradict such statements as if they were made on oath; (6) These ruiles shall come into force upon their publication in the Gazette given under our liands this third day of November, 1909.— Joshua Strange Williams (Acting Chief Justice), J. E. Denniston. W. B Edwards, Thoo. Cooper, Fredk. R.. Chapman.