MERCER SHOOTING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 106, 18 April 1933, Page 8

MERCER SHOOTING

SEARCH BY THE POLICE YOUNG MAN ARRESTED. END OF INTENSIVE SEARCH. AUCKLAND, April 17. As the result of one of the most intensive searches ever made by the police in the Auckland Province, following the wounding by shooting on Friday evening of Mr. Janies Pennigton Bates, service station proprietor, of Mercer, a young man was arrested near Frankton Junction on Saturday night. The arrest followed a hunt lasting for nearly 24 hours, in which 40 police from all districts between Auckland and Hamilton were concerned. After the shooting the first clue was received when at midnight Constable W. E. McGruer, of Ngaruawahia, discovered a “baby” car which had been Stolen at about 7 p.m. on Friday from Beach road, Auckland, just north of the township on the Great South road. The vehicle had a punctured tyre on one back wheel, and the spare tyre was also flat. Previously Constable McGruer had passed a man walking toward Ngaruawahia. As soon as the Auckland and Hamilton police had been notified, DetectiveSergeant J. Thompson and Constable Harris, of Hamilton, went to Ngaruawahia, while Detective-Sergeant P. J. Doyle, of Auckland, interviewed the wounded man at the Auckland Hospital. • COMMENCEMENT OF SEARCH. After receiving a description of the pssailant, the detective sergeant was joined by Detectives Mahood and Wilson. The three, with two constables, set out by ear for Ngaruawahia, arriving at 2.30 a.m. Another constable followed by motor-cycle, while Sergeant Cowan, of Puke'kohe, also went to Ngaruawahia, where the police were further reinforced by constables from stations in the district. Later four more men were sent from Auckland, while Detective White, Sergeant Anniss and a number of constables from Hamilton were also despatched. By Friday evening 40 men were engaged in the chase. The fingerprint expert at Auckland, Constable Francis, examined the abandoned car, which was guarded after it had been found. The hunt for tte wanted man was supervised by Inspector D. C. Fraser, pf Hamilton. Every road leading from Ngaruawahia was closely guarded, all the outlets to Hamilton either by the Great South road or the River road, to Huntly West, to Whatawhata, to Waingaro, to Taupiri and to Horsham Downs being watched. Men were also posted along the railway lines, while three parties of police moved through the district constantly by car. Residents and farmers in the district were visited and asked to notify the police if they saw a man resembling the description of the assailant. VEHICLES STOPPED ON ROADS. Several times the police received information, which seemed likely to lead to an arrest, but after further inquiries it was found in each case that the suspect could give a satisfactory explanation. Vehicles on all roads between Hamilton and Mercer were stopped and their eccupants questioned, while, in some eases, individuals were searched, and required to establish their identity and previous movements. Both banks of the Waikato river in the district were also searched thoroughly. Shortly before 10 p.m. on Saturday a young man was arrested by Sergeant T. Moriarty and Constable McLean, of Frankton. The railway line had been specially closely guarded, and while the two policemen were making inquiries and keeping a watch near the Frankton station, they saw the arrested man walking beside the line toward them They questioned him, and as the sergeant was not satisfied with the replies he received, the man was taken to the Hamilton police station, where he was later questioned by DetectiveSergeant Doyle. ARRESTED MAN QUESTIONED. The man, who did not look distressed or tired, refused a meal when it was offered him and denied all knowledge of the offence. He later made a statement to the detective-sergeant. When the suspect was arrested no weapon or ammunition was found in his possession, while no sign of a revolver was discovered in the abandoned car. A search was later made for the weapon, which was not found. It was reported to the police on Saturday morning by the caretaker of the Maori Hostel in Parnell that a young man who had been staying with him had not returned home since 7 p.m. on Friday and that a five-cham-bered large calibre revolver was also missing. The arreted man was brought to AuckUind early yesterday afternoon and will be charged in the Police Court this morning with attempting to murder Mr. Bates. A report from the Auckland Hospital late last evening stated that Mr. Bates was progressing quite satisfactorily. ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE. SUSPECT FACES VICTIM. AUCKLAND, April 17. A nineteen-year-old youth named Christopher Niven, who was arrested on Saturday night, appeared in the Police Court to-day and was charged with the attempted murder of James Pennington Bates at Mercer. He was remanded. Later the Magistrate held a special sitting of the court at the public hospital, where Bates, who is to undergo a second operation this afternoon, lay in bed. The accused, who was guarded by a constable, stood at the foot of the bed. Bates gave evidence, in the course of which he definitely identified the accused as the motorist who shot at him.