KEPT COURT WAITING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 807, 30 October 1929, Page 1

KEPT COURT WAITING

JUDGE REBUKES COUNSEL

MR. SINGER WAS LATE

A stinging rebuke to Mr. R. A. Singer for not being ready to proceed with his case at the trial of a woman for whom he was appearing, was administered by Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court this morning. Counsel could not be found when the woman was placed in the dock. “Have you anybody appearing for you?” asked his Honour. "Mr. Singer,” replied the woman. “He ought to be here,” observed his Honour. “He said that 11 o’clock was the hour,” retorted the woman. His Honour: He ought to be here at 10 o’clock punctually, instead of keeping the jury, the court and everybody waiting. “Have you any other case to go on?” his Honour, asked Mr. OsburneLilly. acting Crown Prosecutor. *jX°>” replied counsel. “Well, I can’t go on, that’s all about it,” was his Honour's annoyed comment. After 10 minutes’ wait, in which officials were searching for the missing counsel, Mr. Singer appeared and rendered his sincere apologies to the court. » “No apology is sufficient, Mr. Singer,” retorted his Honour curtly. “Counsel should be ready to go on. I have been waiting 10 minutes and the jurymen have been kept waiting to go on with the criminal business for the convenience of the counsel. If this sort of thing happens in future the case will have to go on without counsel,” added the judge. Counsel reiterated his apologies, saying that he understood, the case would not come up before 11 o’clock. But his Honour was not mollified and impressed on Mr. Singer that ; Counsel must be ready to go on imi mediately, as a case might break 1 down at any time.