Law and Litigants.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 51, 4 March 1904, Page 4

Law and Litigants.

(Lfind.iii Correspondent.) I A PECILIAU CASK. Recently the Law Courts have boon the theatre of several peculiar cases. but perhaps the strangest of all was an action ior breach of promise 01 marriage.' In this case everything was in readiness for the hean-ig m the action, with one single exception. but that was an important one. I lie plaintiff 8 evidence was absolutely essential, but she did not put <n an appearance. Her counsel, however furnished an entirely complete and satisfactory explanation of her absence. She was most anxious, he said, to go on with the case uml perfectly prepared to give evidence. The onlv obstacle consisted in uil fact that she was in durance vile, undergoing a sentence 01 penal sei ude, and the prison authorities, wiv inconsiderately, flatly refused to ulow her to go forth for the purpose of prosecuting the presen lUton. The situation, according to me learned Judge, was an cntircU noy 'i one, for which no precedent coiiki < appealed to for guidance Aceo,. .■ j--lythe case was ordered to s over so that the point might have due consideration, or" that some i..0 dus Vivendi might be hit upon. CURTAILING CASKS. In several other instances lately. on the completion ol a plan.urt s case, the presiding Judge has aske the jury somewhat aignihea. tlj ihey desired to hear any more. On barton the reply was promptly in the negative, «te™l» "J " Set was recorded for the■ detend t without his answer being called 101. In this connection 1 may remark Sat there exists at the Present tunc a very satisfactory tendencv on U part 'of the Judges to curt.il the lenirth of cases, some of which lot expanded to utter y,no. S?X sat upon tne bench-or-irinatedthis wholesome plan many vears ago, to the intense disgust anT indignation of barristers who tod hoped to spin their c«esoutto many days' duration, but who were promptly squelched by the acute and Katie JesseL *?"/*'*'• h " ever.-several of the Judges ate ol towing in his footsteps, much to the MtisfWtion of litigants and ju.es wd greatly to the furtherance o. the cause of justice.