MURDER CHARGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1934, Page 8

MURDER CHARGES.

HEARING TO-MORROW.

MYSTERY OF RUAWARO. UNUSUAL PUBLIC INTEREST. Three months ago to-day, Mrs. Cliristoble Lakey was found dead on her farm at Ruawaro, with her head immersed in the water of the duck pond near her farmhouse door. Shortly afterwards it was found that the dead woman's husband, Samuel Tender Lakey, had disappeared. Seven weeks after the discovery of Mrs. Lakev's body, a Ruawaro farmer, William Alfred Bayly, aged 28 years, was arrested and charged with the murder of the woman. To-morrow Bayly will face charges of murdering Lakey and his wife. The preliminary hearing of evidence for the prosecution will be commenced, and it is expected that it will not be completed until the end of the week. Unusual public interest has been shown in the case so far, and it is anticipated that the Police Court will be crowded when the hearing opens tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Special arrangements have been made to control the crowd which is expected to assemble outside the court.

It is understood that the first witnesses to be called will be Government draughtsmen, who will produce plans of both the Lakey and Bayly farms, and they are likely to be followed by photographers. Pressmen representing various New Zealand papers have had special accommodation made for them, and interest in the case overseas is indicated by the fact that the hearing is to be reported by a representative of a Califoruian newspaper.

Present arrangements are that the Court will rise daily at 5 p.m. Shortly after that hour each day the "Star" final edition, with a completed report of the day's proceedings, will be published.