TRIAL FOR MURDER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 676, 30 May 1929, Page 11

TRIAL FOR MURDER

SCANTY EVIDENCE AGAINST PETTY OFFICER MAGISTRATE’S COMMENT Press Association WELLINGTON, Wednesday. When Eric Matthews, a naval petty officer, was charged with the murder of John Stevens, at Wellington, the magistrate said that, if the question was merely whether there was sufficient evidence to justify a charge of murder, he would say there was not. The statute, however, under which these proceedings are being taken directs that, if the justices, after hearing all the evidence, are of the opinion that it is sufficient to put accused on trial for any indictable offence, they shall commit him. The main evidence against accused is his own statement and, reading that statement with the depositions of various witnesses, I think it compels me to say that there is evidence of the commission of an indictable offence.” It was for the Crown to frame the indictment in such a way as the depositions would support. He had come to the conclusion that he would have to commit accused for trial. Accused was allowed out on bail if he could find two sureties of £3OO each, and provided he returned to service in his vessel in New Zealand waters.