DELAYS IN INDIAN COURTS

Mr. D.G. Waller, I.C.S., Sessions Judge, Coimbatore, in acquitting six persons of charges of rioting armed with deadly weapons and murder, condemns in the following terms the procedure of the committing Magistrate:- It is most unsatisfactory that the trial in this court should have taken place so many months after the crime, which was committed on December 15th, 1917.

The Magistrate had all the accused and witnesses before him in February and could easily have committed the case in that month. Owing to the excessive indulgence shown by him to the defence vakil in the matter of adjournments, the case was not committed till April 26th, when the Sessions Court was closed for two months.

It was then postponed to June 26th, but adjourned till August owing to the absence of certain prosecution and defence witnesses. Continuing, the Judge observes that it is of the first importance that cases of this nature should be committed without any avoidable delay of any kind.

Delay leads to the unnecessary detention of innocent persons in jail or assists the guilty to escape the penalty of their crimes. From either point of view it is in a high degree undesirable.

OUTBREAK OF LOOTING AT VIZAGAPATAM

This morning a crowd of fishermen and coolies, including a number of women, began looting rice and cloth shops in Vizagapatam town. Prompt action was taken by the Collector of the District, Mr. Vernon, with the Chairman of the Municipality and the local police, and what threatened to be a serious outbreak of looting was soon checked, though not before about a dozen shops had been plundered.

Everything is now quiet. Another case of looting occurred on Sunday at Anakapally, a town about twenty miles from Vizagapatam. Both outbreaks are entirely due to the high prices ruling. The stocks of rice in Vizagapatam are low, which is attributed to shortage of wagons.

ADRIATIC TOWNS BOMBED

There has been considerable reciprocal naval air raiding during the past few days on military works and Adriatic towns. American airmen have now joined the British and Italians and have assisted in the bombing of Pola.

The Italians twice bombed Durazzo on the same day. The British continue vigorously to attack Cattaro. There are signs that great damage has been caused everywhere.

The Austrian raids included one on Venice on August 21st, when thirty bombs were dropped. One person was killed and seven injured. The Austrians paid an ineffective revisit on August 23rd.