A SOLICITOR IN TROUBLE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3768, 25 June 1907, Page 4

A SOLICITOR IN TROUBLE

.. . Wellington, Friday. Justices Cooper and Button had: to deal with an unusual matter in the Supreme Court to-day. When Claude Paget was found guilty of murder a few weeks ago, his counsel, after the court adjourned made some remaks to the jurymen about their verdict. Action was subsequently taken, and a rule nisi obtained calling on Mr Wilford to justify his conduct. • When counsel mr” , '--d..y to make itbis rule ivii Wilford, who appeared unrobed, said he wished to repeat :j their Honours the expressions )f regret he had already tendere to the jurymen by letter. He vas at the time highly over- ought, and forgot himself. He wis convinced that Paget did not know what he had done. 'Mr Justice Cooper: It was important juries should not be interfered with in any way. He had noticed that in the later stages of the Paget trial, Mr Wilford was in an extreme state of nervous tension. If this condition had not obtained, this matter would not have come before the court. The court therefore considered it would be sufficient if it ordered Mr Wilford to pay the costs of the proceedings, without inflicting further penalty on him.