"OUTRAGEOUS SPEECH."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 308, 21 May 1913, Page 6

"OUTRAGEOUS SPEECH."

JUDO JO AND SOLICITOR IN T CONFLICT. Cbristchurch, May H. His Honor Mr. Justice Deimiston took strong exception at the Supreme Court yesterday to remarks made by Mr. M. Donnelly in his address to the jury, and for a few moments the atmosphere of the court was changed/from its normal dignified rigidity into a state of strong though subdued heat. In addressing the jury on behalf of a man charged with theft, Mr. Donnelly made certain remarks concerning the evidence given by two of the witnesses, and his Honor, interrupting the remarks by counsel, informed him that he was imputing perjury to the witnesses. Mr. Donnelly, continuing, was again pulled up a little later, and, after a short argument with his Honor, continued his address, and occupied the remainder of it in an -extremely heatei/ explanation of his attitude, and a very emphatic protest against being interrupted in his remarks to the jury. After Mr. Donnelly had finished, his Honor referred at some length to the speech, which lie characerised as "outrageous and indecent." In all his years of connection with the law. he said, he had never heard such a tone adopted by a solicitor in reference to remarks of a judge, and he trusted that there would be no recurrence of such an episode.