TELEGRAMS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1920, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

(HI’.H pittas ASSOCIATION.—-COPTKini'T. • A SUDDEN DEATH. AUCKLAND, Feb. 9. An elderly married woman, Margaret MeKundry died suddenly at her residence this morning. She drank a bottle of hop beer, and immediately became ill and died before medical assistance could be procured.

LAWYER S R .VISE FEE

CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 10

The Canterbury Law Society have decided to increase the consultation fee of solicitors from (is 8d to 10s. '

THREE MONTHS

OHRISTCHRCH ,This Day,

At the Supreme Court, James Kerr was found guilty of assault and causing actual bodily harm, and was sentenced to three months hard labour.

EXPORT OF RU'JTEJI

A THREATENED HOLD-UP.

AUCKLAND, February 9

A serious hold-up of export butter was threatened to-day, when the National Dairy Association and the Auckland Farmers Freeing Company were informed by the agents for the Federal Sh|re steamer Northumberland that 50,000 boxes of butter which were to have been shipped to London by that vessel, could not be taken. When the Northumberland (was at Auckland about a month ago the export space on board the vessel for 50,(X)0 boxes oh. butter was allotted to Auckland by the Dairy Produce Committee in Wellington. Arrangements were made to ship that quantity and several thousand boxes had been,, brought to the wharf when it was announced that the vessel had been diverted to load in Australia, and that no butter could be taken from Auckland. Messrs Ambury and Long, of t-lie Auckland Farmers Freezing Company, immediately went down to Wellington and made a strong protest to the authorities, with the result that it was arranged that the steamer should load at New Zealand ports including Auckland. In response to a telegram, the Shipowners’ Committee in Wellington were pliable to give ! any information to-night, beyond the , fact that the managing agents ip Wellington stated that tbe steamer was not * ready to load butter.

AN ABSENT AVITNESS. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

At the Supreme Court to-day, a charge against Leslie Lindsay Fleming of being found at night without a lawful excuse on the premises of the Christchurch Club, was adjourned till next session, on account of the non-appear-ance of the principal witness, Gerald L. Stead. His Honour remarked that the business was grossly unifair to the prisoner, who was entitled to he tried at the present session. He granted an application to have Stead’s bond of £SO estreated and instructed the Crown Prosecutor to tell the police to have the .witness present next time.

METHODS OF POLICE

CONDEMNED BY JUDGE. WELLINGTON, Feb. 9. A method adopted by detectives to secure evidence in respect of a criminal charge was strongly condemned by His Honour Sir W. B. Edwards at the Supreme Court on Saturday. He said the facts disclosed that when inquiring into the circumstances of an alleged illegal operation, a detective had obtained a statement from a. witness after the latter bad been kept at the detective office for about an hour and a half. The person was not there W her own volition but in reality under duress. It was very important that crime should bo detected ,bnt not in such a fashion, where the person was practically entrapped and a statement “squeezed” out of her. It was absurd to suppose that the document in question was given volunfcarly. m He was not blaming the police officers who, no doubt, were conscientious, but their views were not bis views, and were not in accordance with English practice, because the person who was being questioned had no protection, as i„ Scotland. In the latter place, people suspected of crime wore interrogated un der severe conditions, but they were entitled to refuse to reply to questions Ho greatly deprecated that such < course had been pursued, and he trusted that in future it would hc-unknown.