A QUESTION OF BAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17097, 28 February 1919, Page 7

A QUESTION OF BAIL.

AN UNUSUAL POSITION,

CUSTODY OF ACCUSED SOUGHT.

The police authorities were faced with an unusual problem yesterday in respect to proceedings pending against a middleaged maD, John Barens, who, with an alleged accomplice, was on Wednesday remanded on charges of the theft of wire rope, and released on bail. When the accused man was brought before the Court yesterday, Chief-Detective McMahon said a letter, the contents of which he considered indicated that Barens intended to do himself some injury— a result of which he might not be brought to trialhad been handed to the police by Mr. Bazeley, the missioner to seamen, who had received it from accused's son. Barens was then sought out, and the letter shown to him, but he immediately tore it into pieces, stating that it had not been written by him. The fragments had been recovered and the man taken into custody. He thought some action should be taken to prevent accused doing himself an injury. Mr. Meredith, for the accused, said he believed that the letter, which was undated, had been written some time previously, when Barens was considerably worried. If the accused really contemplated suicide he, counsel, did not desire to oppose any actioD, but he believed such a theory highly improbable. Chief-Detective McMahon expressed the opinion that the letter was not older than the date of the charges against Baren6, as it contained a reference to a man who was acting a3 bondsman for the accused. The magistrate said the Justices of the Peace Act gave him certain powers, but only in respect of persons when an intention to abscond was shown. He suggested that the matter should 6tand over pending an investigation as to when the letter was written, and in order to give the police an opportunity of acquainting the bondsman of the circumstances.

As there was no certainty that the bondsman could be «een immediately, and as the bail applied to one charge only, it was eventually decided to recharge the accused on one of the other counts.

Mr. Meredith raised no objection to this course, and stated that now the letter had been partially investigated he was certain the matter would be satisfactorily explained on Monday, to which date Barens was remanded, bail not being allowed.