writ of error. (Per Cockburn, C.J., 2 Q. B. D. 572; and per Bramwell, L.J., 3 Q. B. D. 624; R. v. Larkin, Dears. C. C. 365; 23 L. J. M. C. 125.) Hence, if an indictment for publishing an obscene book does not set out the passage or passages of such book alleged to constitute the offence, but only refers to the book by its title, this defect is not cured by a verdict convicting the defendant, nor is it waived by the defendant's omitting to demur. (Bradlaugh and Besant v. The Queen, (C. A.), 3 Q. B. D. 607; 48 L. J. M. C. 5; 26 W. R. 410; 33 L. T. 118; 14 Cox, C. C. 68, overruling R. v. Bradlaugh and Besant, 2 Q. B. D. 569; 46 L. J. M. C. 286.) Where, however, an indictment or information contains several counts, if any one of them be found good, the judgment will stand. (R. v. Benfield and others, 2 Burr. 985.)

A motion in arrest of judgment should be made before sentence to the judge at the trial, who may reserve the point for the consideration of the Court of Crown Cases Reserved. If the defendant omit to make such motion, still the court will of itself arrest the judgment, if on a review of the case it be satisfied that the defendant has not been found guilty of any offence in law. (Per cur. in R. v. Waddington, 1 East, 146.) On a motion in arrest of judgment the court has no power to amend the record. (R. v. Larkin, Dears. C. C. 365; 23 L. J. M. C. 125.) If the judgment be arrested, all the proceedings are set aside and judgment of acquittal is given; but this will be no bar to a fresh indictment, for the defendant was never really in jeopardy under the defective indictment. (Vaux's case, 4 Rep. 45a.) So if the judgment against him be reversed on a writ of error, he can be again indicted for the same offence. (R. v. Drury and others, 3 C. & K. 190; 18 L. J. M. C. 189.)

The defendant may also bring a writ of error, after conviction and sentence, on obtaining the fiat of the Attorney-General, which will be granted on a certificate signed by the prisoner's counsel whenever reasonable grounds are shown. That the same point has been raised by motion in arrest of judgment and decided against the prisoner is no bar to bringing error. (Per Mellor, J., in R. v. Bradlaugh and Besant, 2 Q. B. D. 574; 46 L. J. M. C. 286.) If the Attorney-General refuse to grant a fiat, the defendant has no remedy. (Ex parte Newton, 4 E. & B. 869; Re Pigott, 11 Cox, C. C. 311.) If the judgment below be reversed, the Court of Error now has power to pronounce the proper judgment. (11 & 12 Vict. c. 78, s. 5.)

When the indictment or information either originated in the Queen's Bench Division or has been removed thither by certiorari, the defendant may also move for a new trial, as in a civil case under

the old practice. The motion should be made within the times specified in r. 166 of the Crown Office Rules, 1886; though the time may be extended ca gratiâ in a proper case. (R. v. Holt, 5 T. R. 436; R. v. Newman, 1 E. & B. 270; 22 L. J. Q. B. 156; Dears. C. C. 85; 17 Jur. 617; 3 C. & K. 252; Crown Office Rules, 167.)

A new trial may be moved for on the ground that the prosecutor omitted to give due notice of trial, or that the verdict was contrary to evidence or to the direction of the judge, or on the ground of improper reception or rejection of evidence or other mistake or misdirection of the judge, or of any gross misbehaviour of the jury among themselves, or for surprise, or for any other cause where it shall appear to the court that a new trial will further the ends of justice. (R. v. Whitehouse and Tench, Dears. C. C. 1.)

The prisoner must be present in court when a motion for a new trial is made and argued. (R. v. Spragg and another, 2 Burr. 929; R. v. Caudwell, 2 Den. C. C. 372, n.; Crown Office Rules, 169.) The rule is generally argued therefore when the defendant is brought up for judgment. (R. v. Hetherington, 5 Jur. 529.)

Where the verdict is on the face of it imperfect, so that judgment cannot be given upon it, the court will award a venire de novo, instead of granting a new trial, the error appearing on the face of the record. In such a case the first trial is a mis-trial and is treated as a nullity, and the prisoner does not plead again. (Per Abbott, C.J., in R. v. Fowler and Sexton, 4 B. & Ald. 273, 276.) A venire de novo was awarded in Woodfall's case (5 Burr. 2661), it being impossible to say what the jury meant by finding him "guilty of publishing only." (And see Campbell and another v. The Queen, 11 Q. B. 799; 17 L. J. M. C. 89.)

When a motion for a new trial is allowed, or a writ of venire facias de noro awarded, the parties stand precisely as they did before the first trial, and the whole of the evidence has to be reheard.

Where a new trial is ordered of an indictment removed into the Queen's Bench Division by certiorari, at the instance of the defendant, the court may, in its discretion, order that the costs shall abide the event of the new trial. (R. v. Whitehouse and Tench, Dears. C. C. 1.)

Sentence.

Sentence is generally passed directly the verdict of guilty is given; but not always, especially in the Queen's Bench Division. If not, the defendant was formerly kept in custody till sentenced; but now, unless the case be exceptional, he is allowed out on the same bail as

before. In the interval, the defendant frequently files affidavits in mitigation of punishment, which the prosecutor may answer. Such affidavits may show that the defendant reasonably and bonâ fide believed in the truth of the charges made in the libel, but not that the libel is in fact true. (R. v. Burdett, 4 B. & Ald. 314; R. v. Halpin, 9 B. & C. 65; 4 M. & R. 8; R. v. Newman, 17 J. P. 84.) Or they may contain general evidence of good character, or disclaim any personal malice against the relator (R. v. Tanfield, 42 J. P. 423), or show that the defendant voluntarily stopped the sale of the book complained of as soon as proceedings were commenced (R. v. Williams, Lofft. 759), or any other circumstance showing provocation by the prosecutor or an absence of malice in the defendant. But the defendant should be careful not to attack the character of the prosecutor, or his witnesses, or impugn the justice of the verdict, lest he thereby aggravate his original offence. A memorial in his favour, not on affidavit, will not be received. (Per Blackburn, J., in R. v. Shimmens, 34 J. P. 308.)

If, in the interval since the verdict, the defendant has republished the libel, or continued its sale, or been guilty of other misconduct, the prosecutor may file affidavits in aggravation of punishment. (See R. v. Withers, 3 T. R. 428.) As to the procedure when the defendant is brought up for judgment, see R. v. Bunts, 2 T. R. 683. The defendant must be personally present, if his state of health will permit. (R. v. Ryder-Burton, 38 J. P. 758; R. v. Kinglake, W. Notes, 1870, p. 130.) If he has absconded, judgment apparently cannot be pronounced; all the court can do is to estreat the recognizances. (R. v. Chichester, 17 Q. B. 504, n.; R. v. Elizabeth Williams, Weekly Notes, 1870, p. 120.) The judge in passing sentence will consider whether the guilt of the defendant is aggravated or mitigated by any plea of justification which he may have placed on the record, and by the evidence given to prove or to disprove the same. (6 & 7 Vict. c. 96, s. 6; R. v. Newman, 17 J. P. 84.)

Where judgment has been suffered by default, both parties should state their case on affidavit. If there is any matter in the prosecutor's affidavit which the defendant could not be expected to have come prepared to answer, he will be allowed an opportunity of answering it on a future day. (R. v. Archer, 2 T. R. 203, n.; R. v. Wilson, 4 T. R. 487.)

As to the sentence that may be passed in the case of a defamatory libel at common law, see ante, p. 425; under the various statutes, pp. 426, 427; in the case of a blasphemous libel, p. 440; an obscene libel, p. 471; a seditious libel, p. 479. If the prisoner be found

guilty of publishing a blasphemous or seditious libel, all copies found in his possession may be seized and destroyed by an order of the court, under 60 Geo. III. & 1 Geo. IV. c. 8, ss. 1, 2.

Costs.

In the case of an indictment or information by a private prosecutor for the publication of a defamatory libel, if judgment shall be given for the defendant, he shall be entitled to recover his costs from the prosecutor. (6 & 7 Vict. c. 96, s. 8.) Such costs must first be taxed by the proper officer of the court before which the said indictment or information is tried; and this should be done before the next commission of assize issues, if the case was tried at the Assizes, else the clerk of assize will be functus officio; his taxation cannot be reviewed by the Queen's Bench Division. (R. v. Newhouse, 1 L. & M. 129;

No special order to tax is In the case of an information,

22 L. J. Q. B. 127; 17 J. P. 57.) necessary. (R. v. Sully, 12 J. P. 536.) the record being in the Queen's Bench Division, execution may issue on taxation in the ordinary way. (R. v. Latimer, 15 Q. B. 1077; 20 L. J. Q. B. 129; 15 Jur. 314.) But in the case of an indictment not in the Queen's Bench Division, there is no way of issuing execution for such costs; they must be recovered therefore by an ordinary action at law. (Richardson v. Willis, L. R. 8 Ex. 69; 42 L. J. Ex. 15, 68; 27 L. T. 828; 12 Cox, C. C. 298, 351.)

So if a defendant pleads a justification and the issue be found for the prosecutor, the prosecutor may recover from the defendant the costs he has sustained by reason of such plea, whatever be the result of any other issues. (6 & 7 Vict. c. 96, s. 8.)

But this section does not apply to crown prosecutions, or to any proceedings for blasphemous, obscene or seditious libels. And there is no provision enabling a prosecutor to recover the general costs of the prosecution. Sometimes, however, if a fine be imposed on the defendant as part of his sentence, the prosecutor may, by memorializing the Treasury, obtain a portion of the fine towards the payment of his costs.

Where an indictment is removed by certiorari into the Queen's Bench Division the party applying for the writ (not being the Attorney-General) must give security for all subsequent costs.

Where a municipal corporation have directed a prosecution for a libel on one of their officers, the costs cannot be paid out of any borough fund. (R. v. Mayor, &c., of Liverpool, 41 L. J. Q. B. 175; 20 W. R. 389; 26 L. T. 101.) Where the directors of a company

have instituted a prosecution for a libel on themselves, the costs should not be paid out of the assets of the company, though the directors will not, as a rule, be ordered to repay any costs already so paid. (Pickering v. Stephenson, L. R. 14 Eq. 322; 41 L. J. Ch. 493; 20 W. R. 654; 26 L. T. 608.) But where the libel is an attack upon the company itself, and calculated to injure its credit or diminish its business, the costs of a prosecution may rightly be paid out of the funds of the company. (Studdert v. Grosvenor, 33 Ch. D. 528; 55 L. J. Ch. 689; 34 W. R. 754; 55 L. T. 171; 50 J. P. 710; ante, p. 373.)

PART II.

PRACTICE AND EVIDENCE IN PROCEEDINGS BY WAY OF CRIMINAL

INFORMATION.

Motion for the Order Nisi.

An ex officio information is filed by the Attorney-General of his own motion. All other criminal informations are filed by the Queen's coroner and attorney, formerly called the Clerk of the Crown; he may not file any information without an express order of the Queen's Bench Division granted in open court. (4 Wm. & Mary, c. 18, s. 1; Crown Office Rules, 1886, r. 46.) Counsel must move the court upon proper affidavits for an order nisi calling upon the defendant to show cause why an information should not be granted. The motion must be made within a reasonable time after the offence complained of. (Ib. r. 48.) The former rule was that the application must be made within two terms after the publication, or at all events within two terms after the libel came to the knowledge of the prosecutor. The prosecutor, too, must come to the court in the first instance, and must not have attempted to obtain redress in other ways. (R. v. Marshall, 4 E. & B. 475, ante, p. 431.) He must submit himself to the court, and consent to waive his civil remedy by action, if need be, and must be prepared to go through with the criminal proceedings to conviction. It is unnecessary to obtain the fiat of the Director of Public Prosecutions in England or of the Attorney-General in Ireland before moving, as section 3 of the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act does not apply to any application for a criminal information whether ex officio or otherwise. (Yates v. The Queen, (C. A.) 14 Q. B. D. 648;