SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1926, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

[nY TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND CASES. AUCKLAND. Eeb. 9. In the Supreme Court to-night, th© jury was unable to agn?e in the ease of George Bevington Rowe, aged 55, charged with incest. A new trial was ordered to take place next session. The ehai-c<? against the accused was that be committed the offence on or about December 20th. last. The jury, after being out for an hour, returned to ask the meaning of th? words “or about December 20th.” Mr Justice Hcrdinan said it did not have to be proved that the offence took place actually on the (lay mentioned. The matter of a few days was neither here nor there.

The Foreman : “Could we extend it to moot ns?” His Honour: “Oh, T don’t know about that.” After a brief discussion the Judge decided to submit the issues to the jury. These were: Whether the accused committed the offence, and, if s° on or about what date. The jury retired again, and, on returning. three hours later, reported a disagreement as stated. The re-trial of Sana Fakir Kara, an Indian hawker, was continued in the Supreme Court. Accused was charged with having forged specifications for the building of a. motor body, purporting to have been signed by Leonard Kerr, of To Duke ; and also with having attempted to cause Mr Justice .A birrs to act upon the document as if genuine. The Jury returned a verdict of guilty, and prisoner was remanded until to-morrow for sentence.