TUHI RESPONSIBLE

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 179, 17 April 1923, Page 6

TUHI RESPONSIBLE

REPORT OF MENTAL EXPERTS

John Tuhi, tho young Maori who is awaiting execution for the murder of his employer, Henry Herbert Knight, of Johnsonville, has been held by mental experts who have, examined him to be responsible for his actions. The Minister of Justice (Sir Francis Bell) made the following statement on tlie matter yesterday: — There were two petitions suggesting deficient mentality. They were carefully considered, and the Inspector-General of Alental Hospitals, together with the doctor in charge of the Porirua Alental Hospital, had an interview with the prisoner and spent a considerable time with him, and then reported to the Government that there was no ground for suggesting that Tuhi was not responsible for his acts. Both petitions and the report were laid before tho GovernorGeneral, as well as before Cabinet, and were considered by both. With regard to the statement which tho prisoner made at the trial that someone else was the murderer, Tuhi has been twice interviewed by tho detectives, under instruction from the Department of Justice, and informed that if ho would give information the police would make every investigation ; but he declined to make any further statement or give any name.