AT IT AGAIN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 293, 7 June 1912, Page 5

AT IT AGAIN

JUDGE AND K.C. ( ' MR. COTTER WITHDRAWS FROM CASE. ,!} Auckland, June. 4. ') After several days of calm, the proceedings at the Supremo Court civil «es« sions to-day were once more enlivened by an encounter between Mr. Justice Ed- 1 ; wards and Mr. Cotter, K.C.' The breeze ' occurred while Mr. Cotter was cross-ex-' amining a witness in a divorce case. • His Honor questioned the relevancy of w a question Mr. Cotter had asked the witness. •Mr. Cotter: I consider, your Honor, that lam entitled < ' J His Honor took exception to being interrupted. He said he considered tue time of the court was being wasted by ■ such questions. ' 1 Mr. Cotter caid something about "closing his examination," and sat down as he did bo. He made the remark in an i undertone. t Instantly he was rebuked by the '-"I Judge. "I won't have you making sudl remarks," said his Honor sharply. "I \! will not allow you to insinuate to the . jury that my remark was not justified. ■ & Now, understand what I say. It is your duty to your client to go on if you con* v'< sider you can show me that your question was justified." 4| Mr. Cotter remained in his eeat and ' ■' made no reply. ' * His Honor (with emphasis): Under- \ stand that when a judge addresses counsel it is not his duty to sit like that and take no more notice of me than if yon 'h had been carved in wood. W|l Mr. Cotter rose to his feet: "You* "'.'l Honor," he said, "I have listened very \ ; s| carefully. I understand you made the ; i remark that I was wasting time,. That is why I sat down." - ' His Honor (raising his voice): Mr. Got* ter, if you can show that your questions were not wasting time it is your duly to go on. You sat there and ignored 1 the Judge's remarks. That is no way to behave in Court. Mr. Cotter did not proceed with his ■ cross-examination. Upon resuming in the afternoon Mr. W. G. Moore, who had been appearing with Mr. Cotter for the respondent, intimated that Mr. Cotter desired to withdraw from the case. His Honor: Mr. Cotter may do as hj« pleases. I only wish to observe that Mr. Cotter has not been stopped. I say this in order that no one may say lie has been stopped. Mr. Moore said that he was Mr. Cotter's junior, and as he (Mr. Moore) waa not prepared to go on, Mr. Cotter had handed his brief over to Dr. Bamford, who would conduct the cases both for the respondent and the co-respondent.