HIS DIAGNOSIS

NZ Truth, Issue 1174, 31 May 1928, Page 9

HIS DIAGNOSIS

When It Was Rather Important (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) The stage was set. Twelve good men and true were seated m the jury box at the Auckland Supreme Court recently. LIIS honor. Judge Blair had taken his ■ seat after bowing to the legal lights assembled, to wit, Lawyer Schramm and Osborne Lilly, and the case to be heard was that of Henry Harley, contractor, versus Mary Harley, for severance of their matrimonial ties, Richard Edwards, laborer, being cited as co-respondent, all of "Waihi, where the gold comes from. Whether Mary Harley was of opinion that Friday was not a lucky day for such proceedings was not disclosed, but Lawyer Lilly had put In a medical certificate from Dr. Grey, of Waihi, ■who stated that he found her m bed on visiting her, and had advised her not to travel. At the same time, counsel announced that so far, the co-respondent had not filed any answer. Such being the circumstances, Lawyer Lilly was constrained to ask the court for an adjournment until such time as Mrs. Harley was well enough to appear. His honor, the judge, having read the certificate of the medical man discoursed for some lew moments upon medical certificates. "They don't say what is wrong," he said. "They give the subjective and not the objective details; this medical certificate says nothingr about her condition — what she is suffering from. We want them to certify to facts. Surely he could have said what was wrong with her? He says he found her In bed. I want objective facts; as an affidavit this Is not satisfactory." Quizzing the certificate before him, and listening to the various submissions of counsel, he continued: "'Quite unfit to travel'; that being true, I'm far from satisfied with the certificate; some people have illnesses at unfortunate moments." For. the petitioner, Lawyer Schramm said that he had his witnesses present, and also one who saw Mrs. Harley walking about the street of Waihi only a day or so ago. On May 14 she was hanging out the washing and the co-respondent was helping her. She had not been ill since January, but it was noticeable that she had become ill on the eve of the trial! Once again his honor had to announce that he was not over satisfied. However, it was finally agreed to adjourn the hearing until Monday, when the judge announced: "We will consider the position." The question of costs consequent on the adjournment, and all other matters .would be held over.