SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 40, 16 February 1905, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. (Bsfore His Honor Mr Justice Edwards-) ALLEGED PERJURY.

The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were continued after we went to press yesterday, the hearing the charge of perjury alleged against Andrew John WMceside being continued. Evidence was given by a number of natives to the effect that they had seen accused mending the belt to the left of the flaxmill, Ihe belt which struck and injured Bruno Gernhoefer. through whose ease in the Civil Court the action for perjury had arisen. Mr Reed, who appeared for accused, in opening the case for the defence, said that Gernhoefer had been defeated in the civil action, and had been actuated by malice in the present case. The inducement offered Viini to go on was that if Gernhoefer could prove that Whiteside had committed perjury the proceedings would commence de novo, and he would have a chance of commencing fresh proceedings for damages. Tiie accused, who was then examined, stated that the belt -which struck Gernhoefer was to the right of the doorway, not to the left as was deposed by the native witnesses. The belt was a new one. and had not been previously broken. He had mended it before the break, putting a piece on one edge nnd a new piece in. It was this piece -which broke. After a retirement of a few minutes the jury returned a. verdict of. not guilty, and accused -was discharged. THIS DAY. ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. Joseph Braslin pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault and robbery in a lace leading oil Grey-street on December 22. The Crown Prosecutor, in opening the caae, stated that John King, the person assaulted, was an old man who had just arrived from the North Island Main Trunk railway "works at Taumaranui, who had about £20 in his possession, having arrived in Auckland en the previous day. While in a hotel he met accused, who ordered two gallons of beer, and invited him to his residence. King refused, but after visiting his lodgings across the road he met accused, who repeated the invitation, which was again rsfused. Accused pulled him across the street, and King then went with him to Upper Queen-street. Accused asked King to come down a lane, and on refusal was knocked down by accused and robbed. After this accused decamped, leaving the old man there.

Evidence in support of this statement ■was given by King.

Evidence was given as to •accused having been seen in Grey-street, and in the Carpenters' Anns Hotel, shortly before tie offence wu alleged to hare been committed.

For the defence an alibi was sought to be proved. Mrs Morsley stated tnat accused was in the company of hereelf and another resident of Grey-street from 9.3 to 9AB p,m, on Christmas Eve,, within. ■which, time the robbery was alleged to have occurred.