yesterday when a client had to make an emergency call to another lawyer.

Magistrate Archibald Warner granted a further adjournment for a long form preliminary inquiry until May 2 after Kirk Roberts hired lawyer Kim Wilson on the spot to represent him.

Roberts said he had given Mr. Hall's assistant Luvince Cann a file last week in relation to charges he gave his mother an antidepressant while she was in custody in 1998.

Roberts said he instructed Mr. Cann to contact another lawyer -- whom he understood to be Kim Wilson -- to handle the hearing set to start yesterday morning. After a last-minute call, Ms Wilson -- clearly displeased at any suggestion she was at fault -- rushed to the courtroom to ask for an adjournment.

"I rushed out of the office, I don't even have my diary,'' she told Mr.

Warner. "I know that it is going to be reported incorrectly tomorrow that I was not ready.

"We are not attempting to delay and no doubt I am being put in an embarrassing situation which I don't like but I am prepared to undertake Mr.

Roberts' position because he has a right to counsel. Even if I were properly instructed and got the file last week I don't think seven days is sufficient time to prepare for a long form preliminary inquiry.

"The court is well aware of the difficulties of his former lawyer. Mr.

Roberts should not be held responsible for the circumstances of the counsel.'' Mr. Warner told Roberts: "This court will not get between you and your counsel. Whatever happened is nothing to do with me.'' Hinting at his throwing the case out last year, he added: "It will proceed if you do or do not get a lawyer. If the prosecution don't have their witnesses, I'll dismiss it again.'' Roberts replied: "I'll be here with a lawyer. Two if I have to.'' The Crown alleges Roberts passed a handkerchief containing the banned drug Lorazepam to his distraught mother on June 19, 1998 after a Court of Appeal hearing of her 12 year conviction for drug possession.