ALLEGED PERJURY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 477, 7 September 1909, Page 3

ALLEGED PERJURY.

THE DUCK-SHOOTING CASK. At the Magistrate’s Court, Palmerston North, yesterday morning, before Mr Thomson, S.M., the charge of perjury arising out of the recent duckshooting case was continued, when Roland Hayes and William Smith were indicted that they did on 14th June, at Palmerston, commit perjury by stating on oath in evidence in open Court that John Barr gave them on May rst a permit to shoot on Kemp’s lagoon, knowing such statement to be false and misleading to the Court. It will be remembered that the case was partially heard last Monday, when the depositions of all the witnesses but Dahl and Wilson were taken. David Wilson deposed as to arriving at H. Kemp’s lagoon on April 30 and getting his permit to shoot from Barr. Next day he saw the two accused with Barr and Nielsen at the camp where Barr was shooting. That was between ir and 12 o’clock. They had just launched a canoe and were putting Barr’s decoys further out. Witness never saw White (Aker’s manager) till May 2nd. White then brought the two accused to the camp and said to them; “ These gentlemen (meaning witness’ party) paid for the right of shooting on the lagoon, and I’ll leave it to them to settle with you.” Witness’s party then had a conversation among themselves, and then asked accused for half the ducks they had shot. Accused refused. Nothing was said about a permit- Witnessed not know how accused came into possession of his permit. He was working on the river bank on 30th April, when he built a raft. It was the same spot on which accused’s canoe was pulled up the next morning. Witness had put his permit in the same pocket as his watch. The permit produced was the one witness bad. He was quite sure of it. He had heard both accused give evidence on the occasion of the hearing of the first case, and Hayes had said then that the permit was given him by Barr, and Smith corroborated the statement.

Charles Edward Dahl gave corroborative evidence, and produced his permit. Both accused pleaded not guilty and reserved their defence. They were committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in Palmerston, bail being allowed accused /50 each.