ALLEGED PERJURY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8493, 23 July 1907, Page 7

ALLEGED PERJURY.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Two young men, named Richard and Henry Edward Shine, were charged at the Masterton Court, yesterday mornBfflgj before Msssrs Eli Smith and T. Wagg, J's.P., with having committed perjury at the Masterton Magistrate's Court on July 12th, during the hearing of the charge against Reeves of theft of a watch. Sergeant Miller conducted the case for the police, and Mr C. A. Pownall appeared for the accused. Sergeant Miller stated that during the hearing of the case of theft against Reeves, the informant in the case, George Brighting, stated that 'he did not have a drink with the accused in the Central Hotel, while, for the defence. Reeves and Shine both ■stated that they had been drinking with Brighting in the Central Hotel. Harry Dyer Bennett, bailiff of the .Magistrate's Court, gave formal evidence as to administering the oath to the accused before they gave evidence in the case against Reeves. William Pattison James, Stipendiary Magistrate, stated that he heard :a charge of theft against Reeves in the Masterton Magistrate's Court on -July ]2th. Reeves gave evidence on <oath, deposing that he met Brighting .in the Central Hotel on the day of the theft. Reeves stated that he and Shine went into the Central Hotel -and had a drink with Brighting, and -that Mr Cooper, licensee of the Central Hotel, saw them in the hotel Witness cautioned Reeves as to ihis evidence, advising him of the more serious charge that might follow upon his evidence. Accused Shine ialso gave evidence in which he stated -that Brightiug, Reeves and himself went into the Central Hotel. Shine was not quite sure whether Bright--ing had a drink or not in the first instance, but after•wards he said he saw Brighting and Reeves drinking together. Had witness believed the evidence ; given by Reeves and Shine in the case vto be true it would have effected hiß •.decision, and he should not have conevicted Reeve. Mr Pownall made a formal objection to this last statement. George Brighting, dealer in jewel- - lery, and informant in the case . against Reeves, said he saw the two accused in Queen Street about 8.30 -o'clock on the morning the thef<" *was committed. Witness said that ■ he was not in the Central Hotel that morning with the accused. It was not true that he was seen drinking in vthe Central Hotel with Mr Cooper. Mr Pownall: How long is it since _you had a drink in a hotel in the colony? Witness: About five or six years. long prior to July 12th is it you were in a hotel at all? —I could prove that I fcave not been in -a hotel for five or six years except i on business. Mr Pownall: You're fencing _the question, and if I stay here for a week I'll get an answer. Witness said he often went into hotels on business, and finally admitted that he might have been .in the Central Hotel on tb.3 Wednesday prior to the hearing of the case •against Reeves. Sergeant Miller (to witness): Could you tell me the names of all i the hotels you have entered during vthe last six months? iWitness: Yes, I could—then, after . a pause—No, I couldn't. Mr Pownall (to the Clerk): I'll i.have both statements placed on the .depositions, please. Mr James, recalled, stated that .Beeves had said in his evidence that it was about 8 o'clock or 8.15 o'clock -when he went into the Central Hotel with Shine and Brighting. Annie Petersen, boardinghousefceeper, said that Brighting was stay- .. ing at her house. On the morning of .July 12th he had breakfast before .8 o'clock and went out. He had "bsen stopping at her house, off and .•■on, for some time. She had never .-seen any indication that would lead her to think he had been drinking. William Haviland, porter at the • Central Hotel, said he knew the accused by sight. He saw them in the hotel between 7.15 o'clock and 9 o'clock on the morning of July 12th. He did not see Brighting in the hotel that morning. Walter D. Thompson, night porter at the Central Hotel, said he saw -the accused in the hotel on July 12th .between 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock in the morning. They had drinks. Brighting mav have been in the hotel with i them but witness did not see him. Alexander Fraser, drover, said that on Friday, July 12th, he was drinking ; with the accused in the Central Hotel. j Brighting was not with them nor j was he about the hotel as far as witness ksew. John Miller, drover, said he went ; into the hotel with the witness ; Fraser and had a drink.- He did . not know who paid for the drinks, j Witness was unable to say what date it was that he went into the hotel or whether the accused were in the hotel at the time. Mr Pownall remarked that such evidence was valueless. Frederick S. Cooper, licensee of the Central Hotel, said that he had ~ drink with the accused in the %rnn the morning of July 12th. Brighting was not there. Witness denied having a drink with BrightGeorge Groombridge, barman, at the Empire Hotel, gave evidence as to seeing the accused on the morning of July°l2th. Sergeant Miller said he saw the .accused on July 12th going in the ■ direction of the Empire Hotel about 8 o'clock in the morning. This concluded the case for the prosecution/ Accused reserved their defence and were committed for trial at the next sitting of the Wairarapa District Court on August 23rd. Mr Pownall applied for bail. He said that Reeves was serving a sentence of one month for theft, but that he would have completed his sentence before the sitting of the District Court. Bail was fixed, for each accused, in one surety of £2OO and two other sureties of £IOO each.