ANGRY WORDS ALLEGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21702, 18 January 1934, Page 11

ANGRY WORDS ALLEGED

QUESTION OF ACCESS Leonard Stent, farmer, of Ruawaro, said his property was two or two and a-ljalf miles from the Lakeys', whom he had known for about five years. The Lakeys seemed to get on well together. Mr. Meredith: Do you know Bayly? —Yes.

Do you know where his farm is? — It adjoins Lakey's. < Have you done work on Bayly's farm? —On odd days; whenever he wanted mo. What were the relations between the Lakeys and Bayly?—They weren't too friendly. Has Bayly mentioned the Lakeys to you?—At odd times. He said ho would like them out of it. He woidd go to the mortgagees, the dairy company. There was something about Lakey's credit with the Farmers' Trading Company, and Bayly said he would say that the mortgagee was closing. When was that? —It would be in 1932.

The Magistrate: What season? —Between August and Christmas. I could not say exactly. Mr. Meredith: Did he make any other reference to the Lakeys?—What way do you mean? Complimentary or uncomplimentary? —He had several rows that I know of. There was a row over the fence.

What was that, and when?— About Christmas, 1932. Bayly told me he wanted his road out by the main drain. He wanted me to witness where he was going to cut the fence,

Did you go with him? —Yes. It was then that he told Sam he wanted the fence cut so he could have his road out by the main drain. " Sam " was Lakey?—Yes. Where was Sam? —Just inside his garden fence. Was Mrs. Lakey there? —Yes. A girl called Venn and a boy called Baldick were there.

What did Sam say?—He said. " Keep out of this, Stent. This is going to be more serious than you think." That was all Sam said. As we rode away Bayly told Lakey that Lakey would "not see the next season out.

Did Mrs. Lakey take any part?— Yes. She cursed and swore at him. She said, " Your guilty conscience is pricking 3 r ou. You murdered Elsie Walker and we expect the same." What time of the day was this? — In the morning. Roughly about eleven. Did you go away with Bayly?—Yes. What way did Bayly take his cream? —Past Lakeys', I think. Did Bayly have a road out of his own? —I would not be sure.

If this fence had been cut would Bayly have had another access? —Yes, through Lakeys'. Were you docking lambs at Bayly's in 1932? —Yes. I passed a remark that he was not too friendly with the people on top of the hill, meaning the Lakeys. He said, " Yes. I wish I could cause a row with all the neighbours and get them out of it." I said I didn't mean any harm toward them at all. Alleged Conversation

Did he ever speak to you about the possibility of Lakey coming to his place? —Yes. He said, " I would shoot him if he came down here."

What did you say?—l said, " You don't want to' talk like that, Bill. You've got a wife and two children." When was this? —It would be in 1932. 1 went into Saxon's Bush after that.

Do you know the cream stand in front of Lakey's gate?— Yes. What is it like now?—lt is just four posts. It used to be a proper cream staikl —a kind of small shed on tho posts. * Who built it?—l don't know.

When did it change to what it is now? —In 1932, when I was at Bayly's. Bayly took the shed to his own place. He dumped it off the sledge and left it by the car shed near his home. What did he say?—He said he wasn't going to lot " those miserable " have it. What road was he now using to take his cream out?— His own. Was that stand put up at his own road ? —No. While you were there, were any pigs killed at Bayly's place?—l wasn't there when Bayly killed the pigs. George Furniss was. Did you help in the preparations? — No. ✓ A Portable Copper Did you ever see a portable copper at Bayly's?—ln the washhouse. I helped shift it from the cowshed where he used it to boil the water when killing the pigs. Did you ever see a drum furnace .on the property while you were there? — No. What kind of a watch did La key carry while working?—A big watch with an open face and Roman numerals. What did Lakey smoke? —A cherrywood pipe. By the way, what did Bayly smoke? —Cigarettes. I never saw him smoke a pipe."

What kind of watch did he carry?— A small, cheap watch. He often used to say how cheap it was. It was 2s lid or something. What pants did Lakcv use ? —Denims. Blackish in colour, with stripes. What do 3'ou wear?—l always wear denims.

Mr. Meredith asked him to bring a pair to court later. Witness said Lakey had false teeth on the top and his own at the bottom. " I have seen him take them out," said witness, when asked how he knew they were false.