PROBABLE CHANGE OF VENUE. Wellington, August 25.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 398, 31 August 1889, Page 4

PROBABLE CHANGE OF VENUE. Wellington, August 25.

Mr Jellicoe made an application in Chambers on Friday to ' have the libel action, Bell v. Jellicoe, tried by some other jndge than Mr Justice Richmond, on the ground that the latter was prejudiced against him. He, however, withdrew the application on Saturday. It is understood that if the police perjury cases go to the Supreme Court the defendants will apply for a change of venue in consequence of local feeling over Chemis' case. The charge of perjury against Detective Benjamin was resumed this morning. Henry Norman living at Belmont, in the Hutt Valley, was called. He was labour- ■ ing under a very great impediment in speech, and the answers were with difficulty obtained from him. Mr Jellicoe said he had ascertained that the witness, though subpoenaed for the proKccution, had sought an interview with Mr Bell that morning, and he proposed to treat, him as a hostile witness. Mr Bell objected, and Mr Graham, the Magistrate, ruled that this could not be done, nor would he allow the witness to be asked what took place between Mr Bell and himself. Mr Jellicoe asked Mr Graham to take note of his objection, but he refused. Mr Norman deposed that he was a witness against Chemid, and had written his statement out and given it to Detective Benjamin. At this point there was a long dispute as to whether Mr Jellicoe could prove the witness had told a different story to Hare to what he was going to say to-day and finally he was ruled out of order. He then asked witness whether he had told a different story and Norman denied it. Mr Jellicoe showed him something in a box which witness said he had never seen' before. Counsel pressed him closely in a style which led the R.M. to remark that it looked as if he was cross-examining his own witness, but Norman stuck to his statement. The article proved to be a shot pouch, but Mr Jellicoe refused to show it to the Court. Witness said he never saw the shot pouch at Hawkins. Mr Bell wanted to see the pouch for the purposes of cross-examination, and Mr Jellicoe declined, saying he wished formally to state that it produced now it would frustrate the interests of justice. Mr Graham said as the article was not produced to the Court, he thought, after what Mr Jellicoe had said, it would be better if Mr Bell did not insist, though he certainly had a right to see it. Mr Bell did insist, and Mr Jellicoe still declined to give the pouch. Mr Graham said, he did not want to be obliged to use force, and counsel for the defence stoutly maintained his right to the article. Mr Bell eventually gave way. Mr Graham then ordered that the pouch should not be taken out of court, which caused Mr Jellicoe to remark that he and the R.M. would have to live in the court because the article should certainly not leave his possession until the ends of justice were satisfied. Witness was not further examined. The Hon. T. Fergus was called, but did not appear. The Hon. G. F. Richardson, Minister of Lands, had fitted the wads taken from the box produced into Chemia' gun and found they fitted very well. He also drove a dagger through the skirt of Hawkins coat three or four times to see what sort of cuts it made, and tried it once or twice on a thick rug and also on thick paper. He saw the bandbox produced in the Cabinet room, but did not know who cut) off the piece round the edge. The remaining members of the Cabinet were called, but none appeared.