TAKING THE OATH.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1920, Page 6

TAKING THE OATH.

A PARTICULAR PRISONER. Wanganui, Nov. 25. That tcme persons have very eias';ic consciences in a certain direction, yet have extraordinary scruples in another, was exemplified at the Supreme Court here, when a young man was charged with having in his possession £SO worth of jewellery stolen from the Anglican vicarage at Marton. The alleged offence evidently did not worry him 30 much as the fact that he was asked to take the oath on a Protestant Bible. The prisoner, Echvard Bonner Collins (with several aliases) said he could not take the oath on a Protestant Bible. Ho was a Roman Catholic and to do as requested was contrary to his religion. "It would be a sin to take an oath on anything that does not belong to Mr cluirch," he added.

"That is absurd," said his Honor. "We have Catholics giving evidence all the year round. We have had an Archbishop sworn in the ordinary way." Prisoner: I wouldn't be sworn on it. Hie Honor: What do you want to do?

Prisoner: I want my own prayer book. It must be a Catholic book. His Honor: If you won't take the oath you cannot be sworn. Prisoner: I will take it on a Catholic book, a? it is the guardian of my soul, but not on any other book.

His Honor: I had a Roman Catholic Archbishop sworn in the ordinary way, and he had none of these scruples.

After a short wait a Roman Catholic Biblo was procured, and the prisoner, after examining it carefully, was duly sworn.

Cross-examined by the Crown prosecutor, prisoner admitted that he had previously 'been convicted, and \va9 at oresent serving a term of imprisonment. The prisoner did not like the line of cross-examination, and said cheerfully: "I look to the future, not to the past."