WATAROA SHOOTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1942, Page 2

WATAROA SHOOTING

ACCUSED ON £3OOO BAIL,

Appearing on remand in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth, to-day, before Mr. G. G. Chisholm,'S.M., John Morresey, 36, married, a publican, ol Wataroa, was charged that, on February 10, 1942, at Wataroa, he did attempt to murder Thomas Francis Walsh, by shooting with a shot-gun. Detective-Sergeant H. E. Knight said he had received information that one of the victims of the shooting would not be fit to appear in Court for at least a month and, if accused and his counsel would consent, he would ask for a remand for that period, to Hokitika. If the remand should be granted for any shorter period, he would ask that accused' appear at Greymouth. Mr. M. B. James, for accused, said he had also been in touch with the doctor and he understood the position was as mentioned by the DetectiveSergeant. Accused was prepared to consent to a remand exceeding the eight days, to a date to be fixed. The S.M.: Accused will be remanded, by consent, to appear at Hokitika on March 18. Mr. James made application for bail to be allowed. He said that accused was a well-known resident of the West Coast and his parents resided in Cobden. He was the owner of a business in Wataroa and was in no sense a “bird of passage.” There was no question of his not appearing. He was married with four children, and if , bail was allowed, he was prepared to reside with his parents at Cobden. A condition could be made in that regard, and also that he should report regularly to the police. Detective-Sergeant Knight said his instructions were to oppose the granting of bail. Accused was not bailable out of right, and it was at the S.M.’s discretion. If that discretion was exercised, he (the Detective-Sergeant) would ask that a condition be made that accused report daily to the police and also that some condition be fixed as to accused’s place of abode. The S.M. (to counsel): Of course, it is a very serious offence, ana if I grant bail I will be doing what is not the usual practice. I think you should show me some special circumstance, if there is any, why I should grant bail. Accused might easily be before us on a more serious charge. Mr. James: I am assured by the doctor in Hokitika that there is practically no possibility of the charge being increased —that both men shot have every possibility of recovering. A further reason for bail is that we have consented to a lengthy remand, and 1 think the question of gaol accommodation comes into it. There is a possibility that accused will have to be sent to Christchurch in the meantime. There is no evidence before the Court as to what transpired when the crime took place. My plea is based chiefly on the position of accused’s family ana his past record. an/r In reply to a question, by the b.lvl, the Detective-Sergeant said accused could not be kept in this district over the period mentioned. Mr. James: Another point is that it is desired that accused should have a medical examination, and arrangements have already been made m said it was a fact that the circumstances of the happening .TO'**' not before him and he could not jud o e the matter from that point of view. He had to take into account accused s appearance, if bail was granted, anckn would have to be substantial. He would consider the matter, and give his decision later. .. After an adjournment, the S.M. said he had considered the matter and had listened to certain representations on private matters which would be prejudiced by accused’s removal from the district. More or less reluctantly, ne (the S.M.) had decided to grant bail, in accused’s own recognisance of £ 1000 and two sureties of EIOW each on the condition that accused resided with his parents m Cobden and that he reported daily to the pol-