MURDER CHARGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1939, Page 8

MURDER CHARGE

THIRD DAY OF CLAVERLEY CASE. STATEMENT TO POLICE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. With the case nearing its close, nearly two-thirds of the police witnesses having given their evidence, the hearing of the murder charge against Arthur John Patience, a labourer, aged 48, entered its third day. Serior-Sergeant James Bickerdikc that he made investigations of the case. Patience volunteered and accompanied a detective to the police station where he made a statement, which witness produced. In the statement, Patience said his wife disappeared on the night of October 4. On that day he started work as usual, and at that time he and his wife were on the best of terms. He returned at 4.20 p.m. and his wife was at home with dinner ready. The next morning he found his wife had gone, and her bed had not been slept in. He made no further inquiries and mentioned it to no other men. He thought she would turn up later. On October 5, ho found a note from his wife which read: “I am sick of camp life. lam sick of you. I don’t want anything from'you, Jane Patience.” Patience said he destroyed the note with other papers. He admitted he had not reported the matter to the police, as he expected her to return. On October 20 he visited a Christchurch solicitor, and told him to see if he could find his wife. A few days after he left for Blenheim with Mrs Chapman, where they stayed at Barry’s Hotel. In a further statement made by Patience on April 21, 1939, he said he thought his wife had cleared cut. He made no effort to find her, but realised he should have organised a search for her. After the submission of corroborative evidence the accused was committed for trial to the Supreme Court at Christchurch on October 17. Yesterday's proceedings arc reported on page 3.