SPEEDED UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 138, 13 June 1934, Page 8

SPEEDED UP.

EXPERT EVIDENCE. THREE MORE WITNESSES. CROSS-EXAMINATION ON TEETH. Evidence for the Crown quickened considerably when the trial continued this morning. Cross-examination of the Government Analyst, Mr. K. M. Griffin, was concluded, and he completed his testimony after over a day in the witness box. Three- more witnesses gave evidence before mid-day, these including a textile expert, who gave opinions on certain materials found on Bayly's property, and a dental expert, who' described certain teeth.

Interest in the trial among women was fully maintained, the gallery being crowded, but only casual interest was to-day shown by men. An added comfort for the jury is the fact that arrangements have been made for them to have tea sent up from their hotel during the afternoon adjournment. The trial is presided over by Mr. Justice Herdman. For the Crown Mr. V. E. Meredith and Mr. F. McCarthy appear, and for the defence Mr. E. H. Northeroft and Mr. L. P. Leary, instructed by Mr. B. B. Lusk. When the Court resumed this morn-; ing Mr. Leary continued his crossexamination of the Government analyst, Mr. K. M. Griffin. Mr. Leary: In the Police Court you said that the piece of lead found in the sheep dip with scratches on it had not been heated? —That is so. You carried out tests later?— Yes, and found it was similar to the lead which was left in the benzine drum after the burning experiment. Counsel then questioned witness on the condition of various exhibits he had examined, as to whether they were charred' or not. ; Mr. Leary: In testing to discover whether exhibits were bones did you use both the qualitative and the quantitative methods?— Yes, I made my analyses which were quantitative in this way. I took the fragments, from which I got distinct reaction for phosphate from each fragment. It is a process of qualitative analysis known as micro-analysis, whereby very small quantities of the material are used and the magnitude of the reaction makes the process thus qualitative. Method of Testing Bone.

His Honor: In simple language how do you test .bone? —I pick the.small pieces out with a microscope. With experience one can tell by that examination whether it is bone or not. These bone fragments are then heated to redness and the behaviour of the fragment to heating is observed. After asking witness a series of questions Mr. Leary complained that Mr. Griffin was not answering his questions. A few minutes later his Honor interrupted the cross-examination. "Please let the witness answer the questions," he said. "If a man gives an answer you must allow him to complete it and I shall insist that this is done, Mr. Leary." Mr. Leafy: I bow to your Honor's ruling, but I think your Honor will admit that I have been scrupulously fair in tho questions I have asked Mr. Griffin. His Honor: I make no suggestion that you have been unfair, Mr. Leary. Mr. Leary: I thank you, sir. Gordon Walter Stace, assistant to fhe Government Analyst, gave evidence of receiving exhibits troni the police and handing them to Dr. GLmour, after making preliminary examinations. Other samples he handed to Mr. Griffin. Exhibits Identified.

A textile designer employed at the Onekunga Woollen Mills, Harry Miller, identified several exhibits which he described as three-ply knitting yarn which showed that it had been submitted to heat, and was tender, juto or flax string., This was used for sacking and manure bags. Another exhibit identified was a seed fibre and a lightweight cotton, material usually used ju men's nandkerchiefs. Other exhibits identified were a piece of fine, good- quai'ty men's worsted suiting, a piece of lightweight tweed, a fine piece of cotton lining commonly used in men's suits. Tie piece of cotton lining was in tender condition and had ibeen subjected to heat. Mr. Lcary: In the Lower Court you describe the sacking as coarse hessian. It may not only be manure sacking?—lt denotes any sacking. Frederick Winston Craddock, registered dentist and lecturer in dental mechanics at the Auckland University College, identified several teeth and described them. , The first was an upper right canine, polished by use, flat-backed', with long pins. It had been attached to a vulcanite plate. The next was an upper left canine, with short pins and vulcanite adhering. A third was an upper left tooth, blackened, and the pins had ■ been attached to vulcanite. Another was an upper left tooth, blackened, with., long pins. After" describing other teeth, witness; in answer to his Honor, - s ol<l he had examined six teeth in all and 'Jiey; were all upper teeth. There wer» and the ehade of all

and all lad been attached to a plate. By the appearance of the pins, they had been assembled by the one man and it would be quite possible to use them all in the same set. Questions Concerning Teeth. Mr. Northeroft conducted the crossexamination of Mr. Craddock and closely questioned him concerning circumstances under which pins were used in particular teeth. In reference to four teeth, the two central incisors, the left lateral incisor and left upper canine teeth, Mr. Craddock said the major use was in gold and they were only used in vulcanite if specially asked for. Showing witness Mrs. Lakey's top set of false teeth, Mr. Northeroft asked him whether he could say if the fracture of the denture was done while it was in her mouth or out of it. Witness said the appearance of the denture suggested that it was fractured by violence while not in the mouth. Counsel then produced another upper set of false teeth found in Lakey'e house on October IG. In reply to questions, witness said he could express no opinion as to the reason for the discolouration of other teeth, nor could he express an opinion as to whether those teeth were made of low-fusing porcelain. He agreed that low-fusing porcelain went yellow _in colour when subjected to heat, providing the temperature was not high. Such teeth were not much in use now. One tooth was made by the American firm of S. S. White. It was probable that with the exception of that tooth, the other teeth were made by the English firm of Claudius Ash. « Referring to two loose teeth, witness said they had not been through fire. Grey and vellow would .be found in all teeth in this position. It would depend upon how critical the deptist was to say these two teeth were not the same. His Honor: Which teeth is the witness speaking of, Mr. Northeroft? Mr. Northeroft: A plate and a loose tooth found in a drawer of Lakey's house by the police on October 16. For some amazing reason, sir, the other odd tooth wa3 not found in Lakey's house until December 26. Petrol Drum Examined. An engineer of 40 years' experience, John Waddell, who said he had dealt extensively with metals, told the Court that he had examined both parts of the petrol drum taken from Bayly'a. Both portions had undoubtedly had fire in them. Around the opening in the bottom there had probably been the maximum temperature that a wood fire could generate. On the. sides there was a formation of magnetic oxide —a bluish oxide which was characteristic of heat on iron. The drum had been subjected to heat of a little over 700 degrees centigrade. From the nature of the rusty scale on the drum he was not able to eay exactly for how long the drum had been heated, bu.t he should say that it would take from one and a half to four hours. It depended on the degree of heat. Witness said he had also examined the top part of the drum, and considered there had been something near the top of the drum while the fire was on. If that was so, that particular part would become much hotter. However, there had definitely been fire in both portions of the drum. There was rust on the edge where the drum had been cut, but that could not be caused by fire. There could be no doubt that the drum had been cut after there had been a fire in it. Mr. Northeroft questioned witness on the gradations of heat and the reason for the oxidisation of the drum. Mr. Northeroft: Have you conducted any experiments with such a drum to ascertain that the drum would be heated from one hour and a half to four hours ?—No. How did you arrive at the figures you gave, then?-r-It was an estimate which I formed after many years' experience. Henry William Scott, handwriting expert .with 25 years' experience, produced the letter which it was alleged Bayly "wrote to .his <vife and also the statement which Bayly wrote in Detective Sneddon's notebook. Witness said he had examined both- exhibits and he was positive they were both written by the same person. <■ Photographic Expert. Senior Sergeant Edmund Walter Dinnie, officer in charge of the Criminal Registration Branch and the fingerprint department, police headquarters, Wellington, commenced his evidence when the hearing wa's resumed this afternoon. Witness produced a 4in by 2in wooden rail which was removed from the implement shed at Lakey's place. Witness photographed this exhibit with a microscopical lens. He produced the photomicrograph which was taken with an BJiii diameter magnification, the portion taken showing characteristic ridges. With the aid of a powerful magnifying glass the members of the jury inspected the section of the wooden rail which was micro-photographed. Mr. Meredith: "You took another photograph?— Yes, the cutting edge of what I understood was accused's knife. I photographed this edge, taking ninis sectional photographs from the handle to the point. I carefully joined and mounted the nine sections. This photograph (proIduced) was magnified 8J times."