POLICE COURT.

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 18, 31 May 1845, Page 1

POLICE COURT.

Wellington, May 27, 1545.

Henry John Cridland of Wellington Terrace, Architect, was summoned before Henry St. Hill, Esq., charged by Arthur Todd Holroyd, Esq., barrister-at-law, with having committed wilful and corrupt perjury, in a cause Holroyd v. Holroyd, on the 14th day of January last.

To support the charge Mr. Strang, Registrar of the Supreme Court, produced the Defendant's affidavit, filed in the above cause, and Mr. Ross, Solicitor, proved that the affidavit was sworn before him on the day above mentioned, and that he had put the question to the Defendant, " if he had read over his affidavit, and if it was true ? " to vwhich the Defendant replied in the affirmative. To- support the charge of perjury against the Defendant, William Bush and William Furnass were called. The former swore that the statement alleged to have been made by him in the said affidavit was false, that Furnass was present with him at the time it was alleged he made it, and Furnass corroborated Bush as to the act of perjury alleged to have been committed. Both Bush and Furnass underwent a long and tedious cross-examination, which did not tend to shake their respective testimony. For the Defendant it was urged by Mr. Hart, that it was not usual to briug such charges before the Police Magi trate, but that the common course was to prefer an indictment before the Grand Jury. Mr. Brewer, on the part of 'he complainant, argued that it was a very common practice to have a preliminary investigation before a Magistrate, previous to an indictment lor peijury being preferred.

Mr. St. Hill stated, that the evidence given by Bush and Furnass was •' Straightforward and unimpeachable " but that as ihe lomplainant could proceed by indictment he should dismiss the case.