“I DON'T KNOW"

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 46, 18 November 1926, Page 6

“I DON'T KNOW"

WITNESS DFNTFS TRVTn OF OWN EVIDENCE. Dom in k>n Special. Christchurch, Novcniner 17. There was a sensational development to a case heard in the Supreme Court ibis morning before Mr. .lustice Stringer, when the principal witness for the Crown denied the truth of tho evidence she had given against her own father in tho Magistrate’s Court, on a charge of incest As the result of the stand she took, the Crown case collapsed. To the first question put by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. A. T. Donnelly), she answered: "I don’t know.’’ In reply to another question the girl said she did not know who was the father of her child. “Now, look here, my girl, said Hie Honour. “You know you gave evidence in the Magistrate’s Court, in which you swore that certain things were true You are now saying that you. do not know. Do you realise the position you put yourself in? You must tell the truth von know ” To questions from His Honour, however, tho girl made no reply.. She stood in the witness-box crying silently, and miserably. When shown the depositions from the hearing in the Magistrate’s Court she admitted that she had signed the evidence sho gave, but she said that the evidence she had signed was not true. On His Honour’s direction the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.