JUDGE AND COUNSEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 127, 29 May 1907, Page 5

JUDGE AND COUNSEL.

METHODS OF DEFENCE CRITICISED. The objections which were made yesterday by »Ir. Justice Denniston to the methods pursued by Mr. J. R. Lundon as a defending counsel were repeated this morning by his Honor. A witness called by the Crown in the case of Arthur Harris, charged with criminal assault and abduction, was asked by Mr. Lundon. counsel for the defence, if be knew (,i n row which had occurred. The witness replied that he hail no knowledge of any row, but he was further questioned regarding ibis, until his Honor stopped the examination with a protest, during which he remarked ''You cannot think we are all fools, Mr. Lundon." He went on to slate that a long string of questions suggesting disgraceful immorality had been put to the prosecutrix by counsel for the defence, but none of them were proved. They were asked obviously with ;: view of suggesting to the jury that tho,' tilings had occurred. His Honor esiiild not 'snore this system, it was so elaborate, but the whole thing was absurd, "i complained last sessiou until I uj-- t'.red," continued his Honor. "If you don't understand what 1 mean I think yon are the only person in' Coin: who dees not. Proceed with the examination.'' Mr. Lundon .-.>'. 1 he h.»;l no more questions. His Honor: If cveryon:: indulged in this practice to the same extent we would have a judge sitting, permanently in Auckland. Perhaps lam doing you an injustice: il may be that you arc ignorant of Ihe rules of evidence, but I must assume from y.iur knowledge of practice that you are familiar with the rules of evidence.