MURDER CHARGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 210, 6 August 1931, Page 2

MURDER CHARGE.

EVIDENCE OF ACCUSED. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Aug. 5. The trial of George Rameka on a charge oi murdering Airs Gwendoline Johnson was continued to-day. Cross-examined by Air Aleredith, the Crown Prosecutor, accused said that after he first met Airs Johnson he used to see her every night. He did not know how strong the poison was nor how many people the contents of tne bottle he bought would kill. He thought of the knife after he reached home on the night before the tragedy. If poison was not sufficient he intended to stab himself with the knife in a taxi cab. He drank p>art of the poison at Airs Keesing’s, outside Airs Johnson’s door, fully intending to drink the rest after he had had it out with her. Airs Johnson was awake when he went in to her room and she spoke first. He did not remember seeing the knife after he put it in his piocket at the door. He did not remember driving back to Hepburn Street or other incidents which witnessses had sworn to. He did not remember anything from the time he was at Airs Johnston’s door until he was in hospital. Dr. R. M. Beattie, who for 29 years was in charge of the Auckland Al'ental Hospital, said he had formed the conclusion. that there was a probability of a minor epileptic condition in accused. Witness had gained the impression that there was a certain amount of mental instability. He found Alaoris as a rule emotional and intensely sensitive.

“I regard this man as of unstable mental condition,” continued witness. “For years he has been suffering from strange sensations in his head, with attacks of giddiness and disturbance of his eyes. The man had been suffering from abnormal depression and was actively suicidal. AVhen he went into the room where deceased was the depression became intense and he was .suffering a burning pain in the mouth, throat and stomach from the poison he had taken. He was called by a name that all Maoris resent, and he got into an irresponsible maniacal condition. If he was in such a maniacal state he could not know the nature and quality of his act.” This closed the case for the defence.

j The Crown then called Dr. H. AI. I Buchanan, superintendent of the AuckI land Mental Hospital, who said that ; Rameka had not given him any symp- ; toms of loss of memory or giddiness. In , his opinion there was no justification I for the theory that accused was epil- ! eptic. He did not think Rameka had tho loss of memory at the time of the tragedy he claimed to have. In witness’s opinion the act in the bedroom was a conscious act. I Corroborativp evidence was given by I other mental experts. TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. NEARING THE END. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Aug. 6. Tho trial of George Rameka on the charge of murdering Mrs Gwendoline Johnson on June 24 is approaching the end. This morning, Mr W. Noble, for prisoner, and Air V. R. Aleredith, Crown Prosecutor, addressed the jury and Air Justice Smith began his summing up. His Honour told the jury that no distinction was to be drawn between Alaoris and Europeans regarding the standard of conduct required when an insult was offered that was sufficient to deprive a person of his self-control. As far as punishment was concerned, that was a matter in which racial considerations might bo taken into account. The Judge said that a vital part of the case was whether accused or deceased's daughter, who was the only eye-witness, was telling the truth about what happened in the bedroom. Was a taunt ever made to provoke accused? Had ho taken any poison before he entered tho room or did he take the bottle out of his pocket after he went in? Did he take the knife from his pocket inside the room. The summing up ended at 1.20 p.m.