A SCENE IN COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3531, 2 July 1890, Page 2

A SCENE IN COURT.

Occasionally in the Courts of New Zealand little " breezes"' arise between lawyers, or between; the Bench and the Bar,'but generally > ;|hey are of a mild character, At all I events, never do they approach what ». happened recently in the Melbourne *fe Ojty Court. The .chief aotora were < Mr Gaunson, an ex-MiH.R,, and Mr Purves, Q.C., one, of the leading barristers of Melbourne. - A dispute aroae : (ifl toMrPurv'es' right tore. '■: X esajihe, (he examination an ohief '■■■■ having been conducted by a junior,, Mr- Gaunson protested againsV'Mr 1 ' Purves remainjng; standing.. : The.. Mowing eolliloqny then, took place::' .' Mr Panton, P.M.-—lam Chairman', of this Bench; and can' oonduot: the frominyon,e lliat'maj'..-.. bahera;' : ■ -h '

Mr Gauneon-Yoit may bo Chairman oftlie Benoh here, but I can tell you that I will insist on my rights. Mr Panton (excitedly)— Will you eit down? » .Mr Gaunson—No sir; I will not. «< (Sensation.) Mr Panton-1 insist on your Bitting down, sir; I insist upon it. Mr Gauhson-You may insist as much as you pleaso. I oall your attention to tko fact that as Chair- . man of this. Bench you allow Mr Purves to stand when ho ought to havo reaped enough to sit down. t Mr Panton-Mr Gaunson, I _ will not hear you. You must bo quiot. • Mr Gaunson-You will have to hear me, sir. I stand on my rights. not care whether yon Bond mo ' toprison for it, but I have right? and I will ttike good care that _ neither ?■ yon nor anyone else ..will intoriero r withthoin. You may fancy that J you will bo ablo to malio me submit but I am abovo what you can do. Mr Panton-You must respect this Court, sir, or I will male you. You havo no right to do or say what yon are doing. Mr Gaunson—Thou make Mr Purvossifc down. Mr Panton—Will you bo quiet? Fl I regret very much this display of unseemly conduct. Mr Gaunson—l caunot holp that. All I can say is that I will not allow you to conduct tho business of the Conrt'in this way .without protest. • irr Panton—Will you sit down, sir? Mr Gaunson-No; I will stand or sitjustaslploase. You may order mo to bo silont, and I will respect that order/ -' Mr Panton—l trust there will be nothing ■ further. I will not have this sort of thing iii this Court. Mr Gaunson—l am quite prepared for all that you can do. I will look after my rights even if you do ft send me to prison, f .Mr Panton—l would not give you the satisfaction. I simply object to Mr Gaunson or anyone else interfering with the business of tho Court. I certainly .would'not send you to giol as you might wish, Mr Gaunson—ol', oh ! You dare not. (Sensation.) Mr Purves-¥our Worships, when I remained standing, it was not through any disrespect towards the Bench whatover. All that I rose for was because I thouglit that I could t»j explain something to Mr Neighbour's satisfaction. I have every desire, gentlemen, to conform to the rules of tho Court 3. With regard to this unseeming brawl, that has occurred, I wish to say a few words. Although insults have been heaped upon me day after day, I have said nothing, This latest piece is a brutal insult towards me, aHd merely follows on to what has been said to me during tho last few days, Ido not say anything here, although I may outside. Mr Gaunson-I am quite prepared for this gentleman outside You know that he is a coward, and a M brute as well. This cowardly cur talks to me about what ho will do outside. I am quite prepared to meet him. Mr Panton—Yournamo was never mentioned, sir. Mr Gaunson—Who else did he mean but me? What right had you previously to allow him to refor to me as " this person." Every gentleman on the Bench knows perfectly well that it was meant for me. Ho is tho greatest brute in his profession. • Mr Purves—Do. not permit this, ,W your Worships? " Mr Gaunson—What nonsense. They will have to permit it. Mr Panton—Mr' Gaunson, you quite forget yourself. . Mr Gaunson-Personally, you have my best respect, sir, but— Mr Panton—That is not the question, sir. I tell you that I will not permit this Court to be turned into a bear garden. Mr Gaunson—Nor will I allow what I think is not proper. Mr Purves referred to mo when' lie spoke of brutal insults, and I will not allow it. I will not allow myself to be insulted by this coward, whatJ ever you say as chairman of the " Bench.

Mr Panton—l tell yoa again, sir, that much as yoa seem to seek it, I will not gratify you or give you the satisfaction .of sending yoa to gaol, Mr Gaunson—l wis the first insulted, and retaliated with the f weapon that was nearest to me. Mr Neighbour—l have no objection to Mr Purvos either sitting or Standing. Mr.Gauson—Yon may not, but I have, 1 will not permit it, . Mr Panton—Let this be discontinued. I will not permit you to forget yourself so, Mr Gaunson, I have already expressed my opinion that such conduct as. you have been guilty pi in this Court in using such expressions to the learned gentleman, is unseemly ana highly reprehensible. Tlut you cannot see it I am only sorry. Mr Gaunson—l was first insulted, and, therefore, tako tbo first weapon that is handy. Mr Panton—Let us now proceed without any more allusions of the soil wo have just heard. The curtain then fell upon the