TANGLED LEGAL CASE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 5

TANGLED LEGAL CASE.

MORE RONALD-HARPER TRIALS. A CLERCYMAN'S REPUTATION. FURTHER ALLEGATIONS OF PERJURY. By Toletrraph-Press Association-CopyriEbl Melbourne, Juno 17. In connection with the Ronald-Harper libel case, which came before- the Courts in the curly part of last year, and was followed by a series of porjury and conspiracy charges, warrants have now been issued for the arrest, on charges of perjury, of six witnesses in the last series of cases, viz., F. S. Siddeley, shipping clerk; J. A. Paton, shipping clerk; E. E. Batchelor, ■ salesman; C. W. H. G. Bartliug, smallgoodsman; W. T. Harrison, postal employee; and W. F. Ballingall. AN AUSTRALIAN CAUSE CELEBRE. In the early part of last year tho Rev. J. B. Ronald, formerly a Labour M.P. in the Federal Parliament, brought an action to recover JE3OOO damages for alleged slander and libel from Jfr. Robert Hm-per, M.P., a wealthy Victorian starch manufacturer, .and a well-known figure in religious and philanthropic circles in that State. Mr. Ronald line, been a Presbyterian minister, but had gone into politics, where ho remained until he failed to secure re-election, and then had returned to clerical life. It was alleged that Harper hud accused Ronald of telling filthy 6tories and of improper conduct. The alleged libel was contained in a letter written by Harper to tho Presbytery of South Melbourne. The case- was successfully defended by Harper. An incident in the hearing was the determined refusal of the Rov. P. Murdoch, secretary to tho South Melbourne Presbytery, to produce certain documents. Mr. Murdoch was imprisoned for contempt of Court until the Presbytery'met and authorised him to produce tho documents required. / Subsequently, one of the witnesses in the case, Patrick Hill, pensioner, was charged with subornation of witnesses. It was deposed. that Hill, who claimedto bo acting on behalf of Harper, had offered witnesses in tho original case considerable sums and permanent situations if they would give evidence against Ronald. Hill was convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Huxley, another witness, confessed to perjury, and was also convicted.

Subsequently, ohaises of conspiracy were brought asrainst Harper, his brother, Hill, Harper's solicitors, and others. The accused, with the exception of one, Pαton, who was sentenced to U days' imprisonment for prevarication, were acquitted. The allegation was that Harper and his solicitors had knowingly employed Hill to collect, false evidence against Ronald. The latest development in the case, as. cabled above, is the prosecution of some of tho witnesses in the conspiracy charges for perjury. Mr. Pnrves, ICC, in opening tho case for the Crown in the last series of charges, said that tho truth should bo known in tho case, as it affected the administration of justice, not only in Victoria, but throughout tho Commonwealth. Tho Crown had nrado up its mind that the matter should be searched out, and that every bit of evidence available, whether against or in favour of Hie accused, should bo submitted to the Court.