TALKING OF OATHS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 685, 10 June 1929, Page 14

TALKING OF OATHS

“THE WHOLE TRUTH” SOME FOREIGN CUSTOMS In the Melbourne Coroner's Court recently a Chinese said that he had no religion, but that he was prepared to be sworn by any method, relying on “his sense of honour.” This recalls many odd ways of taking the oath in in the courts. There are three accepted forms of swearing-in a Chinese, says the Melbourne “Herald.” These are blowing out. a match, breaking a plate, and cutting off the head of a live rooster. In one Australian police court the sergeant-in-charge insisted that the only oath binding on a Chinese was the decapitation of a rooster, and this formality was carried out for many years. In some instances, when as many as six Chinese w'itnesses had to be sworn, the demand for live roosters was excessive. It was noticed, too, that the sergeant-in-charge always had poultry for dinner when fan-tan cases were heard in his court. Then the authorities suddenly decided that the blowing- out of a match was just as effective—and much cheaper. In a Melbourne police court on one occasion there was much local crossfiring as to which Chinese form of oath-taking was the most binding. The celestial in the witness box evidently thought that his veracity was being questioned, for he suddenly waved the court Bible in the air and excitedly exclaimed: "Me no tellum lie; me no tellum lie! No feah!”

The Hindoo witness prefers to be sworn on the water of the Ganges, but as no Ganges water is kept on tap in Victoria occasions have arisen when a dispensation has been obtained from the head gooroo, ulema, or priest, making Yan Yean water “Ganges” within the meaning of the Act.

The Persian witness has a picturesque form of oath-taking in the court. He lights a small pyramid of camphor, and when its incense has filled the room, mitigating the usual police court aroma, he bows his head three times into the ascending smoke, at the same time smiting his forehead and muttering his own form of oath. The kissing of the court Bible is a thing of the unhygienic past. Nowadays the witness merely holds the Book in his right hand and repeats the prescribed oath. This has been the custom in Scotland from time immemorial.