SUPREME COURT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 259, 31 October 1929, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

AUCKLAND SESSIONS [Per Press Associ*t’?r.l AUCKLAND, Oct. 29. The criminal sessions of the Auckland Supremo Court opened to-day. Judge Herdman, in his charge to the Grand Jury, said that he did not think that this could be considered in any way an abnormal session. Usually there were twenty or twenty-two cases and on this occasion there were twentyfive. William Bobbett, aged 36, was tried on a charge of wilfully attempting to obstruct or defeat the course of justice by attemping to persuade a woman witness, duly summoned by the prosecution, to give false evidence at a bearing in the Magistrate’s Court of a charge against Jessie Morris of unlawfully using an instrument. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr Meredith) said that Morris was charged on August 5. At that time the woman upon whom the operation had been performed was lying ill in hospital. While Morris was on remand the husband of the woman in hospital received a letter signed “Bill of Kaeo long ago,” making a direct request that he should suggest to his wife that she should not recognise Morris for tne purposes of the trial. The letter pointed out that if the woman declined to recognise Morris the proceedings must fail. Counsel for the defence said that accused was married, with five children, and had hitherto borne an excellent character. Morris was practically a stranger to him. It was a stupid letter written by a man at the suggestion of his wife, who felt sorry for Morris. Judge Herdman said that the case was serious, because the wells of justice must be kept pure. If people were to be permitted to go about the country interfering with witnesses or jurymen, or anybody connected with the administration of justice, then they might say good-bye to the administration of justice in the community, the detection of crime, and punishment of offenders. The jury returned a verdict of guilty with a recommendatioh to mercy. Prisoner was remanded until November 8 for -sentence.