SUPREME COURT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10400, 22 August 1911, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON CRIMINAL SITTINGS. By Telegraph — Press .C&socioUon. WELLINGTON, Last Nigh*. The Supreme Court criminal sittings 'were eontinu&l itbia morning, before Mr Justice Sim. Annie Pet- J ersen. was charged with unlawfully j using an instrument. The case was i heard at last sessions), but a full.' bench afterwards ordered a new I trial, on the ground that the jury had. been misdirected. A new 'trial took place last week, but the jury disagreed, and a further trial was ordered ibefore .a" fresh jury. Mr Noavs' acted as Prosecutor for tho Crown, and iMr He'rdman appeared for the defence. In selecting a jury, Mr Herdman challenged 'Six jurors as the maximum for the defence, and Mr' Neave twelve. At it ho end of four and a half hours the jury could not agree, and Mr Neave applied for a new trial. If a trial is decided on, it will take place to-mor-row. Alfred Britis, a coloured man, was* charged. 1 with selling beer without a license at Wellington on June 4th. He had been-twice convicted of a similar offence. He elected to be tried by a jury. Evidence was given that two constables, diisguised as man-of-war&men, visited a house in Taranaki Street, and the proprietor .sold them ibeer, which he got from Britis, nest door. The case was not concluded when- the Court rose.

SITTINGS AT PALMERSTON. By Telearavh — Press Association. PALMERSTON N., Last Night, The Supreme Court sittings opened to-day under the Chief Justice. True bills were returned in each case, while the day was occupied by the hearing of a charge of assault with intent to do bodily barm against Cornelius Murphy, James McKenzie, and Frederick Richard Kinchant. The assault was alleged to have been committed upon Alfred Badcook and to have arisen out of a row at the opening of Troy's billiard room at Mataroa, followed by three men attacking Badcock at his house with their fists, boots and with a hammer splintering his jaw, and inflicting other feerious injuries. The defence wa& that it was Badcock who had the hammer, an d 'Murphy had taken it {from him and Jlit him with his fist. There wae a lairge amount of evidence, nearly everyone being accused of drunkenness, and the Chief Justice commented on the manner in which liquor was so freely obtained, where there wa.s apparently no licemse. The Ohief Justice sumimed Tip- strongly against accused, but the jury, after being locked tip for ifour hours to-aiight, disagreed. The Crown Prosecutor applied for a new ittrdal.