POLICE WITNESSES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1112, 27 April 1911, Page 4

POLICE WITNESSES.

AN INCIDENT IN COURT. During the hearing of a criminal as«| sault ease in the Magistrate's Court yes- ( terday, a direction was given for all wit- | nesses to remain out of Court until called, on. One of the witnesses happened to ba a polico constable, and, when called, it; was noticed that he had not remained out Counsel for.the defence (Mr. T. M. Gilford) immediately protested, and stated that ho considered that Sub-Inspector Sheohan was to blame. The magistrate remarked that it' was not the sub-inspec-tor's fault, and colled on the constable to t explain. The latter stated that he was ignorant of the fact that the order applied' to him. "Oh, nonsense," said the magistrate, ''vou ought to Know your duty. After Sub-Inspector Sheehan had express-, cd himself as ignorant of the fact that (ho const.ablo was in the Court, the matter dropped until tho cross-examination began. Mr. Wilford then asked that question and answer be taken down as follows : — , , "Did vou hear the order of the masi9-\ trato for all witnesses to leave th<y Court?" Witness: "1 did." ■ Did you remain in the Court?—" For part of the time." When these particulars had been taken down, his Worship remarked that if eou-, stables did not know their duty, it would.bo necessary in future for tho Court to', call on thc'snb-inspector to nominate his' witnesses, so that they could be given the order. "When the order of the Court is' given, it must be obeyed," concluded hia Worship.