MAORI ON TRIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 July 1939, Page 7

MAORI ON TRIAL

OKAIHAU SENSATION

CHARGES AGAINST PAKI

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, July 19.

The final scene in the sensational incident which occurred at Okaihau, North Auckland, on. the afternoon of June 16, when. Mrs. Annie Evelyn Marsh was fatally inj tired . .in an unusual type of motor collision, opened in the Supreme Court, to-day, when a Maori labourer, William Pera Paki, 26, was charged before Mr. Justice Fair and a jury, that he attempted to murder his son, aged four years, and that he committed the manslaughter of Mrs. Marsh. Minor counts against accused included charges of reckless driving and causing actual bodily harm to the boy.

Paki pleaded not guilty, and is being defended by Mr. W. Noble. % ;

The Crown Prosecutor (Mr. Meredith) lengthily outlined the evidence to be called, to show that Paki, who was separated from his wife, called to see her at the boardinghouse where she worked, on the afternoon of June •16, and had words with her. He was seen to leave with his young son, and drive furiously in another man’s motorcar. It would be shown that Paki drove at a terrific pace back and forth several times, between the townships of Okaihau and Horeke. Eventually, the car struck a stationary car, which Mrs. Marsh had been driving and had brought to a standstill, Mrs. Marsh later dying from the injuries she received in the collision. The car driven by Paki was stopped 300 yards away, and Paki was seen swing the boy up and down, at the same time holding him by the ankles, causing the impression that the child’s head was being hit on the road. This was seen by people on the nearby golf course. Then the boy was thrown down, and Paki made off. He was later seen with a gash in his throat, and was attended to. Meanwhile, the sister of Mrs. Paki had "received a, telephone call, and a voice she recognised as Paki’s said, “I’ve done it at last. ’ When asked what, he replied, “I have gone mad.” Asked if he had hurt the boy Bill, he said that he did not know.

Mr. Meredith said it would be shown that, after Paki left the Car after the Collision, the boy was found unconscious on the floor of the car, so critically injured that he did' not recover consciousness for five or six days. After the collision, a razor was recovered from Paki.

Counsel said that' Paki had pleaded guilty to a charge ■'of attempted suicide. (Proceeding., .. ,