CRIMINAL SITTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 21638, 6 February 1934, Page 12

CRIMINAL SITTINGS

MR JUSTICE JOHNSTON PRESIDES FOR FIRST TIME MURDER CHARGE AGAINST MERRIMAN [Per United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, February 6. Mr Justice Johnston, successor to Mr Justice Adams as resident judge at Christchurch, presided in the Supreme Court for the first time this morning. In his address to the grand jury. His Honour pointed out that the majority of the charges referred to crimes of a sexual nature. He added that the proportion of such charges seemed ro be undly high, and might be a matter for comment by the grand jury. Referring to the case of Reginald John Merriman, charged with murdering his wife and three children, His Honour traced the facts of the case, and commented that it appeared that Merriman was a man who was very distressed, and was passing through an acute mental crisis owing to family trouble. The facts spoke for themselves, and the circumstantial evidence pointed to Merriman as a msji who bad committed a crime. The nature of ue defence that might be raised was not for the consideration of the grand jury. [Mrs Merriman and the children were found dead from gas poisoning in a house occupied by Merriman and his family in a suburb of Christchurch. He was also found suffering from gas poisoning, and removed to the hospital.]