CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 306, 24 November 1945, Page 5

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER

DEATH OF MAORI CHILD. (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 23. Hearing a charge of manslaughter of a child aged five years at Huirangi on November 9 against Mary Conroy, a Maori aged about 15 years, was commenced in the Magistrates Court, New Plymouth, today before Mr W. H.’ Woodward, S.M. The hearing is to. be continued on Monday. The charge was that by striking Girlie Pue she caused her death, thereby committing manslaughter. Seven witnesses, including the mother of the dead child, Ada Waldon Pue, and the brother of the child, who found-the body, gave evidence. Ada Pue said Conroy, who was her niece, had lived with her since she was a baby. She attended school, but had only reached standard one. A neighbour named Jimmy Nuku, a farm labourer, who ate his lunch in. a paddock that overlooked the Pue house, said he saw Conroy walking with Girlie and then he saw her thrashing the child. She bad the child in front of her and the child’s arms in. between her arms. She was lifting the child up and down and two or three times dropped her on the ground. She then threw the child’s body from side to side.' Conroy left the child on the ground and went into the trees near the house. Senior-Detective Jarrold said that when Conroy was interviewed on November 15 she admitted being in the paddock with Girlie. She said the child took an egg belonging to one of' the other children and refused to give it to her. She ran into the paddock and Conroy chased and caught her. She hit her across the face and picked her up and threw her on the ground three or four times.