PLEA OF GEILTY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 August 1926, Page 7

PLEA OF GEILTY.

TO SERIOUS CHARGES

NATIVE ACCUSED ALTERS HIS DECISION. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) PALMERSTON N., Aug. 6. Somewhat, of a stir was created at the Supreme Court this morning, when on being asked Low lie pleaded to charges of attempted murder, assault causing .bodily harm and arson, Ernest Taniwha Sutherland reversed liis lower court, .plead of .not. guilty. It had been anticipated- that, the trial would last all day, ibut Sutherland’s changing bis plea altered the aspect of matters, and with, the accused remanded till to-mor-row for sentence, proeeedingsi were over in five minutes.

Mr. Choke, for the Crown, intimated to Mr. Justice Reed that Mr. Ongley, u;lio had represented the accused ut the preliminary hearing, trad undertaken to appear for Sutherland to-mor-row and to say what could be said in his favour. When Sutherland was charged in the Police Court, it was. alleged that he. set five to the - dwelling house ’ of’ his father-in-law, Riicliard Drummond at Awahuri on February 10, causing it to. be. burned to tlie ground, and that on his mother-in-law and wife coining out of the burning building hs attacked each with a grubber, causing very severe injuries in the case of liis. wife, who for several weeks lay between life and death at Palmerston North Hospital. Sutherland, wjio is a halfcaste, served overseas during the war with the Flying Corps. This morning hie wa;s composed in court and spoke without any trace, of hesitancy.