MURDER ATTEMPT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1937, Page 3

MURDER ATTEMPT.

MOTHER FOUND GUILTY.

LENIENT SENTENCE IMPOSED.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Thursday. The hearing of two charges of attempted murder and of attempted suicide, against Petrina Louise Kui, aged 29, was concluded before Mr. Justice Fair in the Hamilton Supreme Court to-day. Accused was found guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy, and was admitted to probation for 12 months.

Mr. J. R. Fitz-Gerald. who appeared for the Crown, alleged that on the evening of December 24, at Cambridge, accused cut the throats of her two halfcaste Chinese children and then attempted to cut her own throat. Tn no case was the wound serious. Accused, who had been living with the father of the children, Fong Bink Kui, a Chinese laundryman, for six years, had since married him.

Mr. N. S. Johnson, who appeared for accused, submitted that she had no intention of killing the children. ner idea was to commit a melodramatic act in order to impress her husband and to wreak vengeance on him for the unjustifiable noise be had made over her innocent conduct in accepting hospitality from Higgins. Counsel said there was no suggestion of insanitv involved.

His Honor pointed out that if accused set out with the intention of takinjr the lives of her children and did some act toward achieving that purpose, although she desisted from completing it. then the law regarded that act as an attempt. His Honor said there was evidence after the acts were committed that accused did intend at the time to take the lives of her children and herself.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts, and submitted a strong recommendation to mercv.

His Honor said he entirely agreed with the recommendation. and ho admitted the prisoner to probation for 12 months.