MAORI MURDER CHARGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 May 1935, Page 7

MAORI MURDER CHARGE

ACCUSED PROVED INSANE

- MEDICAL EVIDENCE

[PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

WANGANUI, May 29. . Without leaving the box, the jury in the Wanganui Supreme Court today found Jack Ngapaki not guilty of murder, on the ground of insanity, and he was ordered by His Honor, Mr. Justice Callan to be detained in a mental hospital until the pleasure of the Minister of Justice is known. Ngapaki was charged with the murder of hisi brother-in-law, Sam Hauora, at a cottage near Opaku, not far from Patea, on the night of March 25 last. Charles Broughton, a Maori termer, said that he knew the accused. As a boy he was of a happy disposition, but after the flu epidemic in 1918, he appeared changed. Witness often saw him, as he was a neighbour. He did not take an interest in work. When some £5 notes were given to the accused, he lit a fire with them. On one occasion the accused had a large fire going in his house, and there were a number of lighted candles. heard the accused say: “Take your partners for a waltz!” Accused .was alone, and was waltzing with a stick. He never used to take an interest in women. On another occasion, witness saw the accused practise as if he was training for running a race. Accused did not know witness was observing his actions. Witness remembered when accused was trussed up by a rope in 1924 for becoming violent. In later years, the accused’s change in manner became worse. The. defence admitted the killing, but brought medical evidence, headed by testimony from the Medical Superintendent of the Porirua Mental Hospital, Dr. H. *M. Buchanan, that the accused was insane, and had been.insane at the time of the commission of the offence. Dr. Buchanan s positive answers to questions put to him resulted in the Grown ceasirjg to carry the examination further. Dr. H. M. Buchanan, Medical Superintendent at Porirua Mental Hospital, said he had examined the accused at Wellington on three occasions. He considered the accused was insane. He based his opinion on the whole body of evidence, and the examination he made. When witness saw him, accused had no 'realisation that he had done any wrong.' (Even with an interpreter, they could get no more sense out of the accused than without. The accused could not understand that he had to face a charge of murder, and said he was waiting for some European to take him home that day. He considered he had done a proper thing in killing. Dr. Buchanan’s evidence was supported by Dr. J. D. Hunter. . Neither the Crown nor counsel for the accused addressed the jury. His Honor said it was eminently proper that such a case should have been brought to trial, and inquired Xinto in a proper way. If the jury accepted the mental experts’ evidence, and he could see no reason why they should not, it was the jury’s duty to say that the man was not guilty on the grounds of. insanity. The jury returned the verdict as stated.

HAWKE’S BAY CONVICTION. WELLINGTON, May 30. Price who is under sentence of death, has been brought to Wellington. If the sentence is affirmed bv the Executive Council, the execution will probably take place here