NOVEL POINT

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1665, 4 February 1913, Page 7

NOVEL POINT

IN A CRIMINAL CASE.

A novel point was raised in a.'criminal trial, in tho Supremo. Court .yesterday .morning by lUr.- T. Neave, : who appeared for a prisoner named John Itickeard Kilsloiie. -Before- the. -prisoner ,!.was "called ■upori.to'pUad, Mr.:-Neave asked his Hon-, ouriMr.;.Justice ..Chapman, to.dcclaro tlje corilmittat : 6f the"prisoner 'irregular and. illegal.- ■V-;,.:- ; ::.-W« a:;. ;a- : -: s a'-' : .!,liui i Honour pointed out that'the Court had' now before 'it a- presentment Of the grand jur'yiv'K.'- '. : AA' ; '- : '"a : 'a-:'a-'■■•••'' ',■'..A I Mr; Neave submitted that thdpresentinent, ibeing' framed' upon!depositions' Irconld not'stand, ;i\ •- : . His Honour -peniirked jthnt- tho (witnesses tad been before the grand He asked "what, Mr. Neave'sibbjeption was.,'. It must /referto something in the statutes.'.Com- ! taon.;law,'took< no notice/of -depositions.' , AMrv-Neave'snid,the point bh;.which, he' <based--his 'application-,wiis/'that.-Section' MSt, of the Justices bf, the'Peace-Act had, not: been ; toinplied'lwitb/iiii the. court,; bellow; -r. He 'quoted from the section! as foU, :16wsiri''.'i'-.A;V. : ': 'y\:P'%-A'-^/'^-.^ : i. -AlWhpn "time^ ne'ssesbn the : -part ;of the prosecution-; ;nas been' completed, .tho.justices before. - ; ■: Thorn such examination was so .'coin*';', '■''■■-pletcd'ishall, without -requiring 'the "■ ,: • attendance: of ; tho.' ; ;toacl, ior "■! ' ,' cause.' to'- bo' read, to. the ,'riccused' the -. , : ddpasitiflhs .taken against hiiri a,.a .■'.. ;•'« '---..''Thet depositions ha'd.'no.t been read oyer to'his-client,'and this "omission rendered the committal,.illegararid<irregular. i ,,. • ,'■ His Honour:-And; of all -the-prisoners for,the last,t,wenty'years..'■'.Aa',!.'.>.'■ • ■' . , Mr; Neave submitted tbafsuoh might be- the;ca3o.»'He'proceeded-to-qnote'-Ru* thorities : ns -to.wfcithei'e. should : bb, a strict, reading,, of '.tho Act, and-raised a further point—bh'which he, did nbt. relythat 'tho deposition's. should'have- been ..in writihg, and ',;''.'.,-; .A. : 'Without calling upon the Crown Prbse* tutor,to reply; his.Honour', dismissed! the application.: In doing so he said: "With -respect'to the'becorid pointj.l will merely bring,it before the Judges^lor''.the purpose; of ''recommending ,'■ the. Minister, to ' issue. . eome ■ihstructionsytb..magistrate's';'6lerk9;' As to. the, first' point, >Hsecnis; to ,me■ ; tlirit the proper, view ; : to"fnke; is that ,we 'are ■ now '■■ here. to -investigate -a' -charge .based upon ,a presentment'.'of the'. 1 grand'jury. It wduld be'very, inconvenient 'if,.' at, this , etago, we' were .asked 'to 'inquire : whether 'all the provisions in regftrd to committal been^'.ootnplie'dv.'W'ith/''-"''"::;'---^;--';-;::.-. In answer 1 ' to>Mr. Neave,. his Honour promised t* consider the -advisability of '■ stating'a'case on ,the,'points for thewiirt -■'.of Appeal.' (;>;;'■-'[■■;■.'"'■AA.:' A;.:,',.' >> ; .:,',. '■;', '■'■'■: