COURTEOUS AND OTHERWISE.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1929, Page 2

COURTEOUS AND OTHERWISE.

Habitues of tlio .Magistrate s Court were provided with a free, and, judging by their frequent bursts of laughter. very amusing entertainment at Auckland during the course of a maintenance case, when two prominent counsel indulged in frequent battles of words. At times, indeed, so willing did the legal cross-talk become that the erroneous impression might have been gathered that counsel had subordinated the interests of their clients to their desire to make the retort courteous. After hearing under protest his friend’s interruptions for some time, counsel for the defendant,

thoroughly exasperaud, broke oiit, "I know it is difficult for my friend to keep (pilot. I>nt i am asking him to let me proceed with the cross-examina-tion. Politics have had a had effect on him/’ The same counsel, in reply to further interjections, remarked, somewhat heatedly, “My Iriend mentions my law; .my friend doesn't know what the term means.” Counsel for the plaintiff; “Now you’re getting childish.” Later counsel for the plaintiff, while cross-examining the defendant, had occasion to remark, “Two in a fortnight, eh? M>ll, that is one a week,” which prompted the sarcastic interjection, “’tour arithmetic is excellent. “Yes, T am always precise, always accurate.” was the reply. Proceeding continue in this strain throughout the hearing of the f.ise, while, to add to the hilarity, the. parties to the action proved to he of a voluble disposition and did not confine their remarks to the time they were in Ihe witness hox. so that even the Magistrate himself could scarce lor bear to smile.