SHOOTING SEQUEL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18067, 19 April 1933, Page 8

SHOOTING SEQUEL

SUSPECT REMANDED ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE INJURED MAN’S STATEMENT A detailed account of tho alleged shooting affair at Mercer last Friday night was given at a special sitting of the Police Court at the Auckland Hospital on Monday before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M. James Pennington Bates, the injured inan, who gave a sworn statement prior to an operation, stated, that lie. was tho proprietor ot a service station arid garage which was about £9 yards from his home on the Groat South road, Mercer. At about, 9.30 ou Friday night witness locked up the garage and went to his home. A friend. Mr. Dennis Cronin, and his wife were at the house and had ‘supper with witness and .Mrs. Bates. A little later Mr. and Mrs. Cronin and witness’ wife went to the front door, leaving witness in the kitchen reading. Mr. Cronin then returned to the kitchen, and as the result of what he said witness went to the front of the house, where accused, Christopher Niven, was waiting on the footpath. When asked by witness what ho wanted a;.:eused replied that, lie wanted some petrol. Witness said, “Right oh,” and walked to the. garage .with accused. Accused’s car, a freshly-painted “baby” vehicle, was stalling near the garage. Witness noticed an "S’’ on the number plate and in rospdiiso to a question accused admitted that the car had been rented from an Auckland firm. Accused said lie was going to Hamilton, and at his request witness filled the petrol tank on the car.

‘'When about gallons had been put in the. tank was overliowing,” continued witness. “Accused then looked down at a back tyre and said, T think .1. <eould do with some air in this tyre.’ I said, All right, i will open up.’ I had to go round to the back to open up. To gel the air the car had to be moved. Accused backed the car round into the front door of my garage, and I went in and switched on the lights. Accused hacked into tho garage and into my car. “t AM DESPERATE” “!. blew up the tyre, accused standing by me all the time. While 1 was hanging up the air hose, accused got into the ear and stalled the engine. J stopped on to the narrow running hoard and said to him. ‘What about some piouey Accused said, 'All right, I will fix you up out here.’ He. drove outside mi to the road and stopped. When he drove out I went out to meet him. J just had my loot on the running board and was standing on the driver’s side of the car, when accused got out the,opposite side. I then went round to tho hack of tho ear to meet him. 'When I. met him he had mo covered with a revolver. He said, T have no money and am desperate.' J. am not certain which hand lie held the revolver iu. He was pointing the revolver straight at my sLoinauli. It appeared to he a (lark color, but there, was a shade from the light, and I could not see very well. It appeared to lie a big revolver. When he said he was desperate, I said, ‘lhat is no good to me.’ Then there was a report and 1 ducked to my right. 1 was struck with a bullet. It struck me iu the pit of the stomach. Immediately I started to run I heard another report. There was a few seconds’ interval between tho shots. 1 was not struck by the second shot.” VEHICLE DRIVEN SOUTH Witness said he definitely identified accused as the man who fired the shots at him. After the shots were fired witness heard the engine of the car roaring. The vehicle was driven south. When the first shot was fired witness and accused were about 6ft. apart. Witness was running back to the garage when the second shot was fired. Until Friday witness had not seen accused.

Gross-examined by accused, witness paid lie asked witness for 6s while he was standing on the running board Accused could not have got out of tho car on the same side as witness, as lie met witness at the back ot the vehicle when he pointed the revolver. Witness did not hear nmised ask him to wall; down the street.