GIRL SHOT AT MIDNIGHT

Hawera Star, Volume L, 7 April 1931, Page 9

GIRL SHOT AT MIDNIGHT

RETURNING HOME FROM PARTY ALLEGED ASSAILANT ARRESTED CHARGE OP ATTEMPTED MURDER (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, April 7. At the outcome of a sensational incident here ait one o’clock this morning, Mavis Steele Smith, aged 23, the daughter of Alfred Tnomsvs Smith, of Flakowhai Road, was admitted to hospital suffering from grave tvounds in the head and back, allegedly caused by Herbert Frederick Nunn, 43 years of age, Havelock North. It is not improbable that the girl will succumb to her injuries. Nunn, a.pdared before Air T. B. McNeill, J.P., at the Hastings Court tnis morning and mas formally charged wit'll attempted murder and mas remanded for a meek. Accused, mho is said to have a, wife and child at Wellington, is retired and of comfortable moans. He is a well known identity. It appears that the girl, mho had been receiving Nunn’is attentions for some time, drove home with a male friend in his car and said good-night. He drove away, and she had almost reached the floor of the house when a shot .rang out. It is supposed at tne present moment that Nunn was lying waiting in the grounds till the 'girl returned from a party, which she hud attended and which lie had not.

Her parents heard the shot which ■was fired from an ordinary shotgun land found the girl lying four paces from the house, parts of which mere struck by shot. She was .semi-eon-soious, but was able to utter Nunn’s name.

Senior-Sergotint Carroll and Detective Farquhlarson arrested Nunn several hours later ait his house at Havelock North. Nunn is regarded as a quiet man. He had been working for some weeks as a voluntary clerk' in connection with tne earthquake relief work.