PERJURY CHARGES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9613, 20 March 1917, Page 5

PERJURY CHARGES

ECHO OF RUA CASE STRANGE ALLEGATION CONCERNING A SOLICITOR. Frees Association. HAMILTON, March 13. The hearing ,pf perjury charges against natives who gave evidence at the Bua trial at Auckland opened in tho Supremo Court this afternoon, before Mr Justice Hosking. Mr Mays appeared for the Crown and Benjamin Biddle (represented by Mr Hopkins) was brought up for sentence for having pleaded guilty to a charge of committing perjury by swearing that the man who fired the first shot on April 2nd at Maungapohatu was Constable Skinner. . Senior-Sergeant Cassells, in evidence as probation officer, said the accused made a statement to him to the effect that he had been induced to commit perjury by a solicitor appearing in the ease. air Mays pointed out that the accused, who was a gon-m-law of Rua’s, had given the Crown valuable information. There was no doubt that tho mana of Ilua was over them all, and that ho was accounted a god with the Maoris. His Honour, in sentencing tho prisoner, said he would take all these considerations into account, and that ho had mad a a clean breast of tho whole matter. Perjury, however, was a serious crime, and hard to detect in many cases. Prisoner would be sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

Mania Hakeke. another witness, also was brought up for sentence on. a charge of perjury to which he had pleaded guilty. Tho prisoner had sworn that Constable Skinner was out of sight when Pukepuku picked up a gun. When asked if ho had anything to say the prisoner said he had been frightened by the police, and that his evidence at Auckland was true.

His Honour said ho had no power to have tho plea of guilty withdrawn. Mr Maya said certain influence had been brought to boar upon the prisoner. . His Honour said tho prisoner had Spoilt any merit which might have attached to his plea of guilty by coming here and swearing an opposite story. Prisoner was sentenced to nine, months’ hard Ikbour.

Wi Hape, who was a native interpreter for the defence at Auckland, Was then charged with secreting the witness Mahia, thus perverting the course of justice. Mr Lampson appeared for the prisoner. In opening the case for the Crown, Mr Mays said the present charge was one of five, but of the whole five it was tho most important as bearing upon tlio administration of criminal law. The prisoner admitted that he had had this man and had sent him away, but he did i.t, ho said, because Mr Lundon, counsel for the defence, told him to do it. “What answer,” added counsel, “Mr Lundon has to give to that 1 don’t know.” Mahia Hakeke was examined at groat length by Mr Mays. Tho witness said that the story given by him in the lower court at Kotorua was all a fabrication. There was no hotel and no motor-car: the whole thing was a myth. . ; Air" Mays then produced a written confession bv the accused in which lie stated“ Just before the luncheon adjournment Air Lundon and myself noticed Sergeant Cassells speak to Air Tole about discrepancies in Alahia’s evidence. At 1 o’clock Air London took mo into tho robing room and wo discovered a discrepancy. Sir Lundon said: ‘lt will bo better for Mahia to be out of the vay—out of sight altogether.’ He told m-e to tell Mahia. I met Mahia that evening, and told him about tho discrepancies in his and what Mr Lundon. had said. Mahia was very frightened. He wanted to bo secreted, and I took him to the Aurora Hotel. I rang up Mr Lundon. The latter said: ‘Ho is quite safe to go home if ho is not intercepted by the police,’ I asked Mr Lundon: ‘Shall ! send him away by the night trainP' Air Lundon said: ‘Yes.’ X went up to Alahia. He Was very frightened and said he could not go to sleep. I told him Air Lundon’s instructions He said ho would do that. I took him to the railway station in a taxi. 1 met Mr Lundon on the Saturday* lie said! to me: .‘Ha* Mahia gone?’ X said: ‘Yes, last night.’ I told him how, and he laughed and passed on. I did not think I was doing anything wrong then.' Asked by Air Mays what ho had to say to this witness said: “I refuse to make any statement in regard to tho truth or otherwise of Wi Hape’s confession.” All he would say was that his own story at Rotorua was a fabrication.