THE SYMONS MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1931, Page 5

THE SYMONS MURDER

GEORCE COATS CHARGED. a remand granted; 7

LtJy Telegraph, Per Press Association.J

WELLINGTON, Jfuly 16. A further step towards the, solution of the fate of .Phyllis ;• Avis Symons was taken to-day, When, Coats, 29, a, labuurjß.f, wax .chaj’ged before Mr Page S.M. with her murder, at Wellington about June. 26th.

The Crown Prosecutor, Mr Macassey, appeared for the police and Mr C. A. L. Treadwell with Mr H. •J. V. Jainea for the accused. • • •

After the charge .had been read Mr Macassey appled for a remand until next Thursday; ;• l : Mr Treadwell said he had no objection. . He understood this was the first of several remands which’ would be asked for, and he could not object to them so bng as there was’no undue delay, and he had no reason, to anticipate- this.- .A L" / • The Clerk then proceeded ; to charge Coats with an alleged attempt to;procure abortion, when .Mr Treadwell'objected, saying in view of the charge of murder there .would be no ; possibility of the police going on with; 'these . . charges, and the rending; ’of them could only have a bad effect on i Coat 3 - at his trial on the major offence, / c' : « Mr Macassey-—I was proposing to ask your Worship to allow ristowithdraw; these charges. We are, satiafled on the evidence that the girl’s dea.th. was not caused by any abt of ahor4iptt, and the proper charge vis that of imir. der. ' Mr Page'granted a remand on the murder charge and allowed the bthcr ;: charges to be withdrawn. f ; The expectancy -of some such dbvelopment as has taken place has been daily expected by many people arid a crowd daily have been hanging arouhd the precincts of the Court. When it became known that-the charge was to be preferred to-day a crowd numbering several hundreds assembled and the public- gallery was packed at a quarter to. teh,v a s.fair crowd being’unable to get in ' and they were turned away. '