NAIKE TRAGEDY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17476, 22 January 1919, Page 5

NAIKE TRAGEDY.

MORINE COMMITTED FOB

TRIAL.

(Per Press Association ) AUCKLAND, January '21

The tragedy which occurred a« Naike, near Ngaruwahia, on October 23 last, when the eyes of a thirteenmonths old baby named Joan Morine were gouged out, with the result that death ensued, was recalled: this morning, when Albert Victor Morine, the father of the child, was at the Auckland Police Court with the murder. Morine, who has been detained in the Avondale Mental Hospital since his arrest, appeared in the dock wearing handcuffs, and looked forlorn and wretched in the extreme. He was not represented by counsel. The evidence was on the lines of that given at the inquest. Dr. Douglas Martin, of Ngaruwahia, described the injuries to the child, which he said were consistent with the use of a sharp instrument. The child, when he saw it on the night of October 23rd, was suffering se-. verely from shock, which was the cause of its death. /This evidence was corroborated by Dr. Archibald Joseph, of the Waikato Hospital. The doctors stated that both eyeballs had been completely removed, and that death occurred early on the morning of October 25th. Among the witnesses was Frederick List, who stated that he found the accused hiding in the ti-tree on his (accused's) property, and took him '. to a neighbour's woolshed. Morine,' who looked very dejecte^J, .said that he was in trouble, and that he had taken his little daughter's eyes out. He added that he had done it quite ; easily with a pocket knife, and that he had to do it, and would do it again. The witness searched him, but could find no knife or other instrument. While in the shed Morine attempted to gouge one of his own eyes out with his fingers, and witness had to secure him til?, the police arrived. Constable Ingram, of Huntly, stated that the accused, when being removed to Hamilton, behaved like a maniac. He said that he had stars in his eyes, and entreated the police to let him take them out. When placed in a padded cell, he tried to injure himself. The accused was committed for trial.