CANTERBURY GRIMES

Evening Star, Issue 19407, 16 November 1926, Page 6

CANTERBURY GRIMES

A HEAVY CALENDAR JUDGE OH SHOOTING TRAGEDY NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY TRIAL. [Feb United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 16. An exceptionally heavy calendar was presented at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court to-day. Twentythree persons were charged with offences. There was a charge of murder, a charge of manslaughter, twe charges of causing death through neglilently driving a motor vehicle, several of housebreaking', and more charges connected with sexual matters than have come before the court for a long time. Mr Judge Stringer said he re gretted the length _ of the calendar and he then dealt with the cases in de tail. T Ho said that a man named 0. J F. M‘Kee was charged with man slaughter. The case had unusual fea tares. It appears that M‘Kee gav< the deceased man board and lodging and employed him at a small wage There was some disagreement as to tlu way the work was done. Later, apparently, there woffe friendly relations between the parties. According to M‘Kce he went out. intending to shoot a hawk. He did not get a shot, and he said that while he was trying to get the charge out deceased was-shot, and he died. At the inquest M‘Kee gave the same account of the affair. Medical men showed pretty conclusively that, the man could not have been shot in that way. M'Kee then gave another account, saying that when deceased came in he snatched up the gun, and that* the gun accidentally exploded. That seemed to be the only_ evidence as to how deceased met his death. The case, therefore, depended on the accused’s own statement, and it was not sufficient to justify a man being placed on his trial.