MAN FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30399, 25 March 1964, Page 3

MAN FOUND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, March 24. After a retirement of two hours and three-quarters in the Supreme Court, Wanganui, today, a jury found Arthur Henry Horne, aged 31, a Ngutuwera farm worker, guilty of manslaughter. Horne had pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering his wife, Melva Horne, at Ngutuwera on January 30. Mr Justice Tompkins was on the bench.

Mr C. N. Armstrong prosecuted. Mr D. H. Brown appeared for Horne. The jury retired at 2.55 p.m. and gave their verdict at 5.40 p.m. Throughout the trial Horne sat quietly. He showed no emotion when the verdict was given. His Honour thanked jurors for their attention and exempted them from further jury service for two years. Horne was remanded for sentence to Wellington on April 24. Evidence was given that Horne shot his wife at the peak of a domestic quarrel. This morning the defence’s only witness, Dr. Robert Alexander McDowell, continued his evidence. He said that Horne was an alcoholic and that at the time of the shooting his mind was affected by liquor to an extent where he

readily gave way to violent passion. Questioned by His Honour, Dr. McDowell said that when Horne was fetching cartridges for his rifle, “his mind would be in a confused and raging state, unclear as to real purpose.”