MAGISTERIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2177, 29 April 1908, Page 1

MAGISTERIAL.

TUESDAY. APRIL 28. (Before Messrs AY. E. A-kroyd and V. Pyke, J’sP.) DRUNKENNESS. A first- offender was convicted and fined os, with costs 2s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. PERJURY. Dorothy McColl was charged with having committed perjury while giving ovidence for the defendant in the caso AVilliam Ashwooil Friar v. Paul Stuart McColl, a claim for £74 I3s 3d for goods supplied. Detective Rawle conducted the prosecution, and accused was represented by Sir A. T. Coleman. G. J. A. Johnstone, clerk of the Court, gave evidence anil produced his book showing the records of the case.

Edward Herbert Mann, barrister and solicitor, stated that he appeared for the plaintiff in the case Friar v. McColl. On Saturday afternoon, January 18th, he saw accused in his office in reference to a mortgage indirectly in connection with his client’s claim. On that date accused said that she and her husband objected to sign the mortgage, but that she was expecting her father to visit her almost immediately, and she hoped that he would give her £2O or £3O towards the debt. Witness stated that in order to protect his client lie then made a short memorandum, which accused signed, and lie attested. AVlien the case was heard, th® present accused as a witness, and during crossexamination, denied having ever been in witness’ office, and also denial! signing the document. To M'r Coleman : The document- was read over to witness when sire signed it. AVilliam Alfred Barton, Stipendiary Magistrate, said that he presided at the -hearing of the Friar-McColl case, anil he gave corroborative e-videnco.as to the accused’s denial of the fact of having signed the document. Witness stated th'at li® at' once suspected that she was not telling the truth, and ho gave her every Opporunity of correcting her statement, but she persisted in her denial, and repeated it five or six times. AA’itness had not the slightest doubt that the signature on tho document and tho specimen signatures were identical. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence *t 0 the next sittings of the Supreme Court to -be held in Gisborne. Bail was allowed, acucsed in £IOO and two sureties of £SO each.