TO BE SENTENCED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 121, 4 March 1939, Page 3

TO BE SENTENCED

GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER. CONVICTION OF A MAORI. (Per Press Association). GISBORNE, March 3. After -IJ hours’ consideration, a jury in the Supreme Court to-night returned a verdict of manslaughter against Rewi Kerelii, alias Dave Grace, aged 42, who stood trial on a charge of murdering his wife, Matekino Grace, aged 32, at Ttipnron, on December 10 last. Ibe prisoner was remanded bv Mr Justice Norlheroft until Monday Tor sentence. “I must say 1 entirely agree with the propriety of your verdict,”- his Honor said. Summing up, his Honor complimented counsel for the defence (Mr A. A. Whitehead) on his capable address to the jury. The defence suggested that the woman had been suffering from injuries received days previously which mi"ht have caused a hemorrhage. However, that was inconsistent with the fact that the woman returned in a normal and happy frame of mind after a day in Ruotoria. The evidence raised the strongest inference that the real cause of the hemorrhage arose from events on December 8. The bloodstains were .unimportant except that the fact that an attempt had been made to remove them could not be considered sinister. Drink might have an important bearing on the cause, because if it was proved that accused was hopelessly drunk, it absolved him from a murder charge, as it was considered that a drunken man was incapable of forming an intention. However, none of the witnesses was prepared to say that accused was intoxicated. Addressing the jury for the defence, Mr Whitehead said it was an extraordinary case, as the man charged with the murder of his wife hade-no apparent motive. There was no premeditation and no explanation of the crome. The most that the evidence had shown was that accused; twice struck bis wife, and that there was a scuffle on the floor. The, balance of the case was pure speculation. The defence contended that Mrs Grace died from natural causes or as the result of an accident. Another possibility was that the accused never intended to kill bis wife - , and never had reason to believe that the assault might result fatally, in which ease the crime became one of manslaughter.