SMALL BOYS CHARGED

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 42, 18 August 1917, Page 9

SMALL BOYS CHARGED

WITH MANSLAUGHTER OF A LITTLE GIRL. (BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, 17th August. Two boys, Claude Gibbons, aged seven years, and Richard Rehana, aged eight years and nine months, came up for trial on a charge o£ manslaughter at the Supreme Court, before the Chief Justice. The charge was brought in connection with the death of a girl aged six, who was found drowned in a creek at Kirikiri, near Thames, on 19th June. J. W. Renwick, in charge of the school^ attended by the three children, said that in his opinion the two boys would know that they were doing wrong in undressing the girl and pushing her into the water. He did not think, however, that they realised that their action might result in. injury to the girl. This portion of the creek was used by a number of the Mormons for baptismal purposes, and Rehana, who was himself a Mormon, would therefore be lesa likely to think that it was wrong. The defending counsel did not call evidence. He contended that the whole evidence pointed to complete unconsciousness of wrongdoing. His Honour, summing up, explained the law bearing upon _ the case, and pointed out that the main issues for the jury were : —Did the accused commit the offence, and did they know that they were doing wrong? The only evidence on the latter point was that of the schoolmaster. After a short retirement the jury iound a verdict of not guilty, and the accused w,sre diechareed- < j