THE RUA TRIAL

Nelson Evening Mail, 2 August 1916, Page 8

THE RUA TRIAL

JUDGE'S SUMMING UP. (United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 1. At the Rua trial to-day, the CrawjPro3ecutfer - concluded his address to the jury. Mr Justice Chapman, commenced hi? summing-up. His Honour reduced the counte preferred agaiirrt Rr3" to fo'ir as follows: —Sedition and resisting at Wai-iti, counsellins to murder and counselling to do actual bodily harm. HiHonour remarked that the case wa--w-ithont precedent in Australasia, and possibly it was only exceeded in lenetb in the"annals of administration of law in the British Empire bv one case—the Tichboroe case. It could take its plan-: aJoove all others in one respect, namely, that since the 'beginning of the case the jury had sat from day to day continuously. Eighty-seven witnesses had been «xamined. and there had been nineteen instances of recalling evidence. Despit? the fact that the case, comparativolv epeaking, involved simple issues, the -evidence had bean copious to almost n bewildering degree. The arrest- al Matmgapobat-n. he had come to the conclusion, could not be justified. It wa« made on three warrants relating to offences against statutes regarding the «sale of intoxicating liquors. Those offence 5 , however, were not crimes, and therefore, under the Justices of the Peace Act. the warrants could not- I e executed on a Sunday. The mo?t important point about the Maungapohatu affray- was whether or not there was a scheme of resistance, and, if so, what 3v»s the scheme. The Court was adjourned till to-mor-row*.