SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2231, 18 August 1914, Page 9

SUPREME COURT

' ' CRIMINAL TRIALS ANOTHER ACQUITTAL The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were resumed yesterday morning his Honour llr. Justice Hosking. being on the T»noh. Mr. H. H. Ostler,.of the Crown. Law Office, 'represented tho Crown. Eobert Hancock, a , billiard : saloon keeper, of Petone, was charge! obscene language in Richmond Street, Petone, on Jan a.\ry 27 last. 'Mir. 1. ■ Wilforvl appeared for the Accused, who pleaded not guilty. For tlie prosecution it was alleged tnat lato on the night of January .2? Constable Carmody, of {he Petonc police statt, offserved a-light in. Hancocks billiardtoom after the hours of closing. The constable knocked s.t tho door, and alter some little time it was opened tahim. He waited inside, and was confronted by Hancock and the iatfcer's brother. While Hancock used abusive language to the constable, the brother adopted a threatening attitude. Subsequently, it was alleged, Hancock followed, the constable into the street, and made lise ot the language -.ompkilned of. As; a result of wlis?took place Sancock waa. proceeded against in the Magistrate's Court on charges of assault, obstructing, the police, and obsceiie language. The first two oharges were .dismissed, and in, regard to the other Hancock took advantage of ms right to be tried by a jury. Ihe case for the prosecution yesterday depended upon the evidence of ■ the constable' and , one other witaess. . ' . *. Hancock went into the witness-box and denied the use of the; language, and fou/r other witnesses were called to .controvert statements made ; by ttie witnesses for, the prosecution. A further'witness was ruled out by his Honour on the ground that ms evidence ; had iio direct bearing lon the charge.' . , The jury retired' at 3.50 p.m., and, returned 20 minutes later with a verdict of not (guilty. Tho prisoner was discharged. ALLEGED ARSON. A charge of arson was preferred'against a middle-aged man named Ezra Reuben Condon, who, it was alleged, had on May 26 last set fire to' a cottage, near .Mungaroa, the 'properly of thq May Morn.Estate (N. 2.), Ltd- r ; i ; •; ?'j appeared for the accused, who pleaded not Ostler, in opening'tho case for the Crown, informed the jury .that dence called would'. be circumstantial. in cases of the kiid, it was seldoiri.wat anyone' could be called to -give evidence oi having actually seeh tile accused person commit the crime .with 'which'he was charged. Coidon had been .in -tho. employ of tho Hay Moth Estato Conipißj until April 1 last, and had resided w one of the company's cottages until. lat< in May. Ho vas given notice to quit and had left the house by 'Jlay: 26. A fire'occurred £t the house on* that date but the damage -.aused by did nol amount to'more than .£lO. •; t '.; At 5.35 p.m. the. Court adjourned unti, 10 o'clock this morning. The accused was liberated oil liis own undertaking to ap pear this morniag. ' ■