COURLANDER FIGURED IN 1939 NAPIER COURT CASE

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 266, 10 November 1945, Page 4

COURLANDER FIGURED IN 1939 NAPIER COURT CASE

Tlie member of the New Zealand Forces, Boyal Nicholas Conrlander, who h»a been found guilty, of helping the Germane and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment, figured in an assault and robbery case in Napier in 1939 when Mr. Justice Smith sentenced him to nine months’ hard labour. He was then described as a 25-year-old clern from Wellington. The case aroused public interest at the time by reason of several unusual features. His Honour commented on the “remarkable amount of crossswearing which had taken place on oath,’’ and one of the principal witnesses for the defence was arrested as he left the Court and subsequently charged with breaking and entering a io Courlander and a man named John •itching Matterson, labourer, aged 30, Fetone, were charged in the Supreme Court, Napier, with assaulting Miss Kathleen Myra Eeston, Napier, so as to cause actual bodily harm, and ot breaking and entering her home with intent to commit a crime. The evirience produced a story of a trip irom “Wellington by the two accused, and a man named Kean, during Easter 1939, followed bv an attack on the woman m the dark when she entered her home on the night of April 10, 1939. The Judge considered Kean to be the originator and Conrlander an original party. In imposing sentence, his Honour observed that accused and his companion, Matterson, had no previous convictions, but, for educated men, both had a history of strange wanderinlander has now sailed for New Zealand to serve his sentence.