MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 July 1945, Page 6

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

SEQUEL TO -DISPUTE. AUCKLAND, July 25. Arising out of . a fight between Maoris and pakehas on a public road betweeh Kaikphe and Whangarei, on April 2, William Martin, 21, a Maori, stood trial before Judge Cornish at the Supreme Court on a charge of manslaughter, with minor counts ol clSSclVllt* The Crown Prosecutor .(Mr. Meredith) said the evidence would show thqt three brothers named Arnesen, experienced engine trouble with their truck, and while it was being fixed one of the brothers went to a nearby house and invited the Maoris to come and have some beer. Three accepted and there was some drinking. Later the Arnesens complained that some beer had been taken from the truck, and a fight followed. The three brothers cleared out, and on returning to the truck later found some articles missing. Armed with stick, spade and axe, the three brothers then went to Martin’s house and demanded the property back. Some of the Martins came out of the house a scuffle took place, as Martin snr. got through a fence. William Arnesen was seen to fall to the ground. He was taken to the hospital, where he died later from a fractured skull. Medical evidence would be given that the skull injury might have been caused by a blow with a stone, it was stated the dead man’s, skull was thinner than normal, but indications were a similar blow would have killed a man with a normal skull. (Proceedings.)