SUPREME COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 May 1933, Page 2

SUPREME COURT

MAORI YOUTH’S TRIAL [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, May 11. Tlie Crown case was closed and the defence opened in die Supreme Court in the trial of RU/i Manuel, aged 17, charged 'with the murder of Hati Robson, a Maori dairy farmer, at Pukepoto, near Kaitaia, on January 8. The case, the hearing of which commenced J>n Monday, is being tried by Mr Justice Herdman. Twenty-nine witnesses were heard for the prosecution. For the defence, Mr Trimmer contended that a very grave mistake had been made inade. The CroYyn had made a feature of suggesting as a motive that the boy had a gru,dge against Robson, dating’ back to July last. The defence would produce evidence to show that the boy was quite happy and satisfied at Robson’s. The whole of accused’s actions were definitely not those of a. guilty boy. Mr Trimmer said that he proposed to.tender evidence that, if Manuel had shot Robson, the whole of the Maori instincts in him would have prevented him running back to tend him. His Honor: What authority have you for giving evidence of that kind? Mr Trimmer: ! have no authority. His Honor: Of course, not. You can search arid you can’t find any. Mr Trimmer argued the' point of the admissibility of evidence of the capacity of observation of some qf the Crown witnesses. His Honor said he had heard more novel propositions on the subject of evidence that' day than ever before. “You ought to know better, Mr Trimmer, thaii to tender such evidence,” he said. Mr Trimmer asked that the piatter bn discussed in chambers, but His Honor ruled that the proposed evidence was inadmissible. The defence' called several witnesses. The case was then adjourned.

POLICE METHODS. AUCKLAND, May 12. The trial of the Maori youth, Rjewi Manuel, on a charge of murdering his employer, Hati Robson, dairy farmer, near Kaitaia, .on January 8, entered the fifth day of hearing. Counsel for the’ defence submitted to the jury that there must be grave doubt whether Manuel did the shooting. He asserted that the confession made by the boy to the police was imaginative, and that though the police methods in obtaining it were not improper, the boy might have been frightened, and have desired*to please the police officer, who had been long in the district, and had a considerable influence with the natives. The hearing is proceeding. POST OFFICE ROBBERY. WELLINGTON, May 11. After a retirement of a little over an hour this morning, the jury in the case in which John Joseph McClintock was charged with breaking into the Moera Post Office' on April 3, returned a verdict of guilty. Mr Justice Blair remarked that it might be some satisfaction for the jury to know that the accused was a very dangerous criminal, and qualified as a professional burglar.

The accused was remanded for sentence.