MOTHER GUILTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22657, 19 February 1937, Page 12

MOTHER GUILTY

WOUNDING OF CHILDREN ADMITTED TO PROBATION JURY'S RECOMMENDATION [FHOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Thursday The hearing of two charges of attempted murder and of attempted suicide, against Petrina Louise Kui, aged 29, was concluded before Mr. Justice Fair in the Hamilton Supreme Court to-day. Accused was found guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy, and was admitted to probation for 12 months. Mr. J. R. Fitz-Gerald, who appeared for the Crown, nlloged that on the evening of December 24, at Cambridge, accused cut tho throats of her two half-caste Chinese children and then attempted to cut her own throat. In no case was the wound serious. Accused, who had been living with the father of the children, Fong Bink Kui, a Chinese laundryman, for six years, had since married him. Beer on Christmas Eve ,Francis Vernon Higgins, musician, of Cambridge, gave evidenco that at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve ho passed the laundry and saw accused at the doorway. He wished her a merry Christmas, and she replied that it was not too merry for her. She added that it. meant a lot of work, and that she had no ono to speak to. Accused also mentioned that she had not had a "spot" that day. Witness replied that she need not go short of a drink. He produced a bo-,tie of beer, which they were drinking in the kitchen when Fong Sink Kui came in, and was very angry. Witness then went away. Detective A. J. White produced a statement signed by accused, in which she said she was terribly upset by the row Fong Bink Kui had made when ho found Jliggins with her. She said she was in such a state of despondency that she thought she would end it all. She got the razor and went to the bedroom with tho intention of killing the children. She then cut their throats and her own. Counsel's Submissions Mr. N. S. Johnson, who appeared for accused, submitted that she had no intention of killing the children. Her idea was to commit a melodramatic act in order to impress her husband and to wreak vengeance on him for the unjustifiable noise he had made over her innocent conduct in accepting hospitality from Higgins. Counsel said there was no suggestion of insanity involved. His Honor pointed out that if accused set out with the intention of taking the lives of her children and did some act toward achieving that purpose, although she desisted from completing it, then the law regarded that act as an attempt. His Honor said there was evidence after tho acts wore committed that accused did intend at tho timo to take the lives of her children and herself. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts, and submitted a strong recommendation to mercy. His Honor said he entirely agreed with the recommendation, and he admitted the prisoner to probation for 12 months.