FIVE YEARS’ GAOL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1944, Page 4

FIVE YEARS’ GAOL

FOR AMERICAN- SHIP’S STEWARD FOUND GUILTY BY JURY OF MANSLAUGHTER. OBSERVATIONS BY JUSTICE. ' (By Telegraph—Press Association.) - ' WELLINGTON, This Day. A sentence of 5 years’ hard labour was imposed in the Supreme Court by the Chief Justice (Sir M. Myers) on Reginald Delone Surles, an American ship’s steward, aged 26, charged, with murdering a negro on board a ship at Wellington on December 3 last and, found guilty by a jury of manslaughter Sir M. Myers said he was not sorry, the jury had. been able to return a verdict, of manslaughter, as the sentence for murder might well be considered excessive in the particular facts, of the case. The jury took a very merciful view. On the facts and law.- as. explained to them, they could’not possibly, he thought, have reduced the offence from murder to manslaughter- on the ground merely of provocation. Probably the jury took all the circumstances into consideration and tnought the prisoner had been subjected to a considerable amount of provocation early in the day and that the prisoner had taken a considerable quantity of liquor, and was in such a state consequent upon that that he was unable to form a definite intent. His Honour said that in- view of the serious nature of the stabbing he could not impose a sentence of less than five years. It was competent for the authorities, if they thought fit, to make arrangements for the American authorities to have the prisoner returned to America much earlier, but that was no concern of the Court.