SUPREME COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1920, Page 4

SUPREME COURT.

AUCKLAND, Feb. 2. The Supreme Court criminal sessions were opened to-day. Owing co sickness and other reasons, only twelve men wore available for the Grand Jury. Mr Justice Chapman commented on <i;e unique circumstance and remarked that com plete unanimity would be necessary in their findings. Commenting on the calender, his Honour said there were three homicide charges. Two men were charged with having killed another, as the result of a struggle in an hotel, in c rcumstances not pointing to murder. If anything, it would be manslaughter, involving the question of the accused justifiably defending himself. A painful case was one in which a woman, separated from her husband, was found in a stream with her child dead in the water. The question of the woman’s mentality was not for the Grand Jury to decide. Another painful case was that of a woman who was charged, with the murder of an illegitimate child, in which the question was whether the child was deliberately or accidentally strangled. • WELLINGTON, Fob. 2.

The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were opened to-day before Mr Justice Cooper. HisJionour, in his charge to the Grand Jury, said he regretted that there was a considerable list, some of the charges being of a serious character. He specially referred to two charges 01 manslaughter against taxi drivers, pointing out that the law required the exercise of reasonable prudence and diligence on the part of motor vehicle drivers, and it was for the jury to say whether this was exercised. The rehearing of charges (upon which juries at Dunedin had disagreed) agains t James lleynolds Havne and Norman Neylon of unlawfully using an instrument, is proceeding, and is expected to last until Wednesday morning.