TELEGRAPHIC.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12588, 20 August 1910, Page 5

TELEGRAPHIC.

THE NOBINE CASE

NOT GUILTY OF PERJURY

(Per Press Association.1)

WELLINGTON, August 19. Charles Nodine stood his trial in the Supreme Court to-day before Mr Justice Chapman on a charge of perjury. The Crown Prosecutor was Mr H. H. Ostler Accused was not represented by counsel; he conducted his own defence. The indictment charged accused with committing perjury at the hearing of a certain civil action in the Supreme Court of New Zealand on Jun t 1, 19]0, in which Robert Hannah was plaintiff and Nodine was defendant, by falsely swearing when shown a certain agreement between Robert Hannah and Nodine (1) that he did not sign the agreement; (2) that the signature attached to the agreement and purporting to be his signature was not his.

The Crow::. Prosecutor intimated that the charge arose out.of a civil action in the* Supreme Court, where James Alexander Hnnnah was plaintiff and accused was defendant. Sketching the, cause of the action, he snid'ihat aconpsd negotiated with Robert Hannah, father of the plaintiff, in th-e civil proceedings, for the lease of Hannah's buildings on Lnmbton Quay. An agreement was drawn up "by Mr Wylie, of the firm of Chapman, Skerrett, Wylie, and Tripp. The agreement was signed by both parties, but accused refused to execute the lease. Proceerlings were taken, and accused (the defendant in th civil action) denied that th-e signature to tho .agreement was hfi. The inrv. the Crown Prosecutor snid, would be able to compare the writings nnd paiievs for themselves.

His Honour here interposed and informed the Crown Prosecutor that the writings could not be submitted to the jury without the support of expert, pvidenoe It "was a m?re technical matter, but. under the circumstances, it Mould be well to adhere to it.

Continuing, the counsel siid nocused denied the signature on oath. He was not hurried or browbeaten info denying. The Chief Justice had given him until the end of the week t-> consider bin oath, and. if he. apologised, His Honour promised that nothiner more would be heard of it. . Accused, however, at the end of the ..-week, still pnrsj§jpd in his statement. Evidence was taken nt rn-nsiderable length, and the cfiso lasted till well on in the evenins:. The jury returned a verdict of not. gnilt-v. bm'ng of opinion fthnt Nodino had believed wK%t he said.