SUPREME COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2631, 10 March 1894, Page 1

SUPREME COURT.

At the Supreme Court, Wellington, John Steer, charged with sheep stealing at Totara, near Foxton, was acquitted. The Supreme Court at Dunedin on Wednesday was occupied with a charge of cattle stealing at Upper Owake, preferred against Simon Wright. It appears that Wright was driving cattle to Balclutha, purchasing as he went along, and three of prosecutor’s cattle got among his lot as well as others. These others he cut out, but took prosecutor’s with him. He knew when he reached Balclutha that he had three extra Read of cattle. Those were sold, and in returning home Wright deuied that he had had any of prosecutor’s cattle among the lot left at Balclutha. The jury, after twenty minutes’ retireacquitted prisoner. On Thursday, Robert McCann was convicted of stealing sheep belonging to James Bennett, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labor.

At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, on Wednesday, the case Union Bank of Australia v. the South Canterbury Building Society came before Mr Justice Dennistouu. This was a special suit brought by the Bank to recover £IO,OOO from the defendant company. The company deuied its liability on the ground that it had no power under its memorandum of association to borrow. Mr Kippenberger, for the defendants, asked His Honor to fix a day for the hearing of the case. It had been agreed to apply for this adjournment. His Honor said that the case being one involving something like £IO,OOO he would like to remark that it appeared most foolish to bring counsel down from Wellington to argue such a suit before one judge. However, it was not for him to dictate. He could only remark that he considered it to be a mere waste of time to elaborate a most important case and argue deep legal questions before a single mind. It prevented that mind from being present at the hearing before the Appeal Court if the parties took afefciou there, as they undoubtedly would ; but he had to fix a day, and hear argument which, as the parties knew perfectly well, was only a preliminary canter. He deprecated, however, the waste of time. He would fix April 2nd for the bearing of argument.