DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1923, Page 5

DOMINION ITEMS

(Per Press Association.) ARAMOHO MURDER. WANGANUI, November 2. Up to a late hour to-night the police had nothing to report in regard to the Aramoho murder.

NOT GUILTY. WELLINGTON, November 1. After a fairly lengthy retirement yesterday, the jury returned a verdict of “Not Guilty” in connection with charges of forgery against Harry Patrick Hodgins, formerly a clerk in the Repatriation Department.. Justice Reid ordered him to be discharged. The prisoner has yet (to be tried on a charge of alleged theft, but in view of the possibility of a change of venue, he was admitted to bail. A MAORI’S DEATH. WELLINGTON, Nov. 2. Pakira Haeata, the young Te Ore Ore Maori, who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment at the March sessions at Masterton, for attempted murder at Blackrock station, Wairarapa, died in the Wellington Hospital. Deceased during the affray received a charge from a shot gun in the arm, and this had. produced blood poisoning. Haeata was in hospital until his trial at Masterton, and ever since. He left for Wellington after being sentenced. The arm was amputated on Thursday, but Haeata collapsed after -the operation and died. BIGAMIST SENTENCED. WELLINGTON, November 3. At the Supreme Court to-day, Edward William Phillips was found guilty of bigamy and sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. Counsel, on behalf of the second woman, asked for leniency for the

j prisoner. I Mr Justice Reed s'aid that he had a public duty to perform, in warning men who came out from the Old t Country and married New Zealand , women under false pretences. Had it ’ not been for the jury’s recommendation > and the fact that the wife would suffer 5 by prisoner’s detention, he would have > passed a longer sentence. INFLUENCING JURYMEN. WELLINGTON, November 3. The Supreme Court Full Bench dealt further with the case of Nash v. Nash, ex parte, Cobb, a case of an application for the committal to prison, or attachment for alleged attempt to influence a jurman during the course of the hearing of a petition for judicial separation. When the case was called this, morning, Mr O’Regan said that Cobb now admitted that he had spoken to a juryman. Mr Haggard, who appeared in support of the aplication for attachment, said that there was 'no desire that Cobb should be imprisoned. Mr Justice Salmond thereupon delivered the decision of the Coutr, during the course of which he said that although there had bean no attempt at bribery, yet a serious offence been committed, in that an attempt had been made by Cobb to influence the verdict of the jury. There had been wilful contempt of Court. The Court must regard the offence as serious. Cobb would be fined £5O and ordered to pay £l5 costs. A writ of attachment would be issued to the sheriff directing him to have the body of Cobb brought before the Court. The writ, however, would be in the office for 14 costs were made, execution would not days, and if payment of the fine and issue.