Alleged Manslaughter.

Opunake Times, Volume XXI, Issue 752, 30 June 1905, Page 2

Alleged Manslaughter.

Auckland, June 26.

John Henry Fairhall was charged today with manslaughter by killing Arthur Henry Burfoot in a fight on May 22. Frederick Freeman said that deceased offered to fight Fairhall for £2, and the two had a rough-and-tumble fight during dinner hour. Both fell twice, the affair lasting two or three minutes. On Burfoot saying he had had enough they shook bands. * Medical evidence was to the effect that a post-mortem revealed laceration of the brain substance, but no signs of excessive violence. The Magistrate said that from a legal point of view every blow struck in that fight was unlawful; the fact that they had agreed to fight was no justification for so doing. If he was dealing with it as an ordinary assault case he would dismiss it, for ho felt convinced that the fight was a fair one. The case was adjourned until this morning it order to give Mr Reed, accused’s solicitor, the opportunity to show that on evidence a criminal charge could be sustained. June 27. In committing John Henry Fairhall for trial on a charge of manslaughter by killing Arthur Burfoot in a fight, Mr Kettle S.M. remarked that he thought it bis duty to do so, though he felt sorry for the man. It was a technical manslaughter case in his opinion and he thought some provision should be made by the Legislature that Magistrates could deal with cases of this sort where there was technical jrime with no wrong motive.