THE CASE OF MRS. C. WRIGHT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 456, 3 December 1880, Page 2

THE CASE OF MRS. C. WRIGHT.

To the Editor.

Sir, —Will you kindly grunt me space in your next issue for the following remarks in connection with this case ? On the 25th ult. a summons was taken out in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Akaroa, against Mrs Wright, upon the information of one William Rossiter, for that she (the said Charlotte Wright) " did unlawfully assault the complainant William Rossiter on the twenty-fifth day of November instant.hy throwing a bowl of boiling ivater on his head, contrary to the Statute," etc. If this charge had. been proceeded with, no objection taken to the preliminary legal proceedings, and the case proved, Mrs Wright would have been liable to a penalty of £10 as a common assault.

This summons was duly served upon Mrs Wright, and it apppars .that she went to the Court on Tuesday last prepared to answer that charge. About one hour before the meeting of the Court a fresh information was laid by Rossiter, rendering the charge against Mrs Wright of so serious a criminal nature that, if proved, it may render her liable to imprisonment for three years.

A. short time prior to the sitting of the Court on the day on which the case was heard, I was asked to appear for Mrs Wright, but declined, there not being time for me to go into the case, or examine a single witness ; but I suggested that an application should be made to the- Court for an adjournment of the casi for a week, to enable Mrs Wright to be represented by her own solicitors, Messrs Wynn Williams and Deacon, seeing th t an entirely fresh charge had been laid against her on the very morning of the hearing, and I offered to make that application, feeling sure that it would be granted. I was instructed to do so : attended the Court, informed the Bench that I was not Mrs Wright's solicitor, aud applied for an adjournment, to give MrsiWright time to obtain evidence, and {be properly represented. It is with feelings of pain lam compelled io say my . application was refused. Although I stated the grounds of that application, and my entire ignorance of. the facts of the case, not even having had an opportunity of conferring with Mrs Wright, her husband, or one of her witnesses ; in fact, the case went on without the accused being represented.

If the Bench had granted my application justice would have been done to the accused, and Rossiter could have had no cause of complaint. He had the services of Mr Henning—who had 'five days to get up his case—and Mr Henry Nalder, the latter of whom was not brought down from Lyttelton to appear for the complainant, but happened to be here on other business ; so that no wrong could have been clone to the complainant if my application had been granted ; but Mrs Wright has a just cause of com-? plaint, and her application, for an ad»

jou.nuK'ut nught not for one moment to luive been ivlused, the first information being of n very s mple character, the second of so serious a nature.

It is the birthright of every Englishman to be represented by counsel, and at the present time the administrators of the law in this colony should be very jealous of the rights and privileges of all Her Majesty's subjects, but until the Native race are tried before they are condemned, and Englishmen are allowed to be represented by counsel in a court of justice, I am. afraid that no very great feeling of respect will be ciitertairied for the laws as administered in New Zealand. —I am, etc.,

G. W. NALDER.