PRISONER'S PETITION

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1929, Page 13

PRISONER'S PETITION

MOUAT SEEKS RELEASE "APPEAL TO GOVERNOR-GENERAL. INCIDENTS OF TRIAL REVIEWED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Mouat case, which caused a sensation throughout New Zealand four years ago, is brought into the limelight again by a petition which Frederick Peter Mouat, now in Mount Eden gaol, is forwarding to the GovernorGeneral asking that his conviction for the manslaughter of his wife be quashed. Included in the papers is a long one from Mrs. Mouat, of Devonport (the prisoner’s sister-in-law), which sets out that she never did believe in his guilt and there are several people from Christchurch who say they saw Mrs. Mouat after she disappeared.

The petition points out that the details of the alleged crime were of such a sensational and revolting nature .that strong public feeling was roused against the petitioner and the atmosphere was prejudicial to his receiving a fair trial. Petitioner had always protested and continued to protest his complete innocence, although he admitted that on the advice of his counsel he did not tender any evidence at the trial, the reason being that the evidence for the Crown was of such an improbable and flimsy nature that there appeared to be little likelihood of a conviction, and it was well known that by calling evidence the defence would lose its right of the final address to the jury.