SOLICITOR AND WITNESS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17124, 20 April 1921, Page 6

SOLICITOR AND WITNESS.

AN APPEAL TO THE BENCH.

(sfeciax t6 "thh nous") K AUCKLAND, April 19. A claim to a Magistrate for protection from insult and threat while he was within the precincts of the Magistrate's Court and concerned with the conduct of a case,, was made by Mr J. J. Sullivan, solicitor, to Mr J. W. Poynton, 5.M.., this morning. His Worship had just given reserved judgment in a caso m which Mr Sullivan was appearing for the defendant and Mr J. F. Dickson for the plaintiff, when Mr Sullivan said he wished" to bring "under the Magistrate's notice the fact that while 'he was awaiting the decision, he was met by a witness (Mr Forbes Eadie). who attacked him with threat and insult 'over his cross-examination of'the witness during the case. He did not wish to make it a personal matter, but, as an officer of the Court, he felt that he would be failing in his duty if he did not bring before the.Bench the matter of a solicitor being molested during the hearing of a case, and because of his conduct or the case. "I met him in the corridor, and he called me on Irish hound, and told me that I should go Home and join the Sinn Feiners, and wanted me to go out of the Court and fight him." Mr Poynton: You had better put it in writing, and we can fix a time for hearing the complaint. Mr Wckson:My friend was so insulting in his cross-examination of the witness concerned, that your Worship ordered the witness to the upx until Mr Sullivan apolbgiscd to him. His Worship: That may be considered at the proper time in mitigation, but the matter is not before the Court just now. ' Mr Dickson: Let Mr Sullivan bring the case in the ordinary way. Mr Sullivan: I shall bring it as contempt of Court. '