AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22563, 6 May 1935, Page 16

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

THE POISONING CASE SENTENCE ON KEENE REDUCED SYDNEY, May 4. The Court of Criminal Appeal reduced to 10 years the sentence of penal servi-, tude for life passed on Leslie Kecue. At Woollongong on March 5 Leslie Eldred Keene, aged 18, was sentenced to penal servitude for life for having attempted to cause poison to be taken by Cecil L. TJlrich at Berry, with intent to murder. It was stated in evidence that TJlrich tasted porridge at breakfast, and, after remarking that it had a bitter flavour, warned his family not to eat it. The porridge was givm to two dogs, which died. From the dojk the accused said he knew the poison was bitter and it would be impossible to swallow it. He only intended to frighten the Uliiclics. The judge said that, if any report were made which favoured Keene, it would be for the Governor and Executive Council to take any action they thought fit, but he could not take other tban a serious view of a man who was prtpared to administer poison to three innocent persons and see them die in agony.

STATE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS . SYDNEY. May 4. The general election campaigns in New South Wales and Queensland are going alcng quietly. Polling day in both States is on May 11. The fact that the party leaders are relying largely on wireless addresses, coupled with extensive newspaper advertising, as a neans of reaching the people, has enabled them to deliver their messages with far greater decorum and effect than hitherto. So far as New South Wales is concerned, it is not expected that there will be a marked swing away from the Stevens Government, although it is regarded as inevitable that a few obviously Labour seats captured at last election in special circumstances will on this -occasion revert to the Lang Party. Mr Forgan Smith, the Labour Premier of. Queensland, confidently anticipates a renewal of office. VAGRANT'S MURDER STORY ADELAIDE, May 5. .. (Received May 5, at 10 p.m.) The police are convinced that Robert Rae, who is alleged to have confessed to murdering a girl at Albury, had nothing to do with that crime. He was before the court yesterday and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment for vagrancy. His solicitor stated that Rae offered a murder story to a paper because he was desperately in need of money. As a matter of fact he was COO miles from the scene of the murder on the date of the occurrence. FIRE IN SHOE WAREHOUSE SYDNEY, May 5. (Received May 6, at 0.30 a.m.) John Hunter and Son's shoe warehouse at Redfern was partly gutted by fire to-day. The damage is l estimated at £IO,OOO. Detectives are inquiring into tliis and another mysterious fire in an unoccupied house at Concord, where there was an explosion.