COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Chronicle (Levin), 15 August 1946, Page 8

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

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MURDER CHARGE HEARING

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WHANGAREI, Aug. 14. The hearing of the charge against Reginald Alexander Doiraidson, aged 27, a farmhand oi Otaika Vaitey, of murdering Sydney John Peachey, aged 24, at Whangarei, on July 14, was continued in the Whangarei Court this afternoon. The Crown Prosecutor was Mr. S. C'cal, of Auckland, while Donaldson was I'fcuifcsented by Mr. R. K. Trimmer c.iui Mr. D. L. Ross. The court was packed. Detective Sergeant Finlay stated that when Donaldson was asked at his home whether he had done it, he had said: "I was mad. I read her letters to me and when I read the one where she said she. would make it up to me for the way she had treated me, I was mad. I had to do it. " Accused had added that if his brother had been home he would not have done it. Ile was in bed at 6.30 on the night of the shooting. After reading Mrs. Peachey 's letters to him he had put on uis Air Force uniform and taken a car ,vhich -was standing in the drive. He had lired two shots at a quarry on the roadside to see if the pistol was workIng as it sometimes janimed. Aeeuaed told witness that: "When I . saw that fellow witli his arrns around iiona's neck, 1 just felt mad." Donaldson had said he tajiped on the vvindow, had lired the pistol and tlien liad run away to his brother who asked wliy he had done it. Accused had said: ' ' 1 could hot help it. If you only knew uow she treated me." Donaldson said he would not have harmed Rona and that was why he had liit the window to attract Peachey. He i'elt Peachey had been laughing at him for taking Rona away from him. Detective Mahood said that experiments had- shown that the roorn was v'learly visible from outside and the occupants cojild be identilied. At his home accused had produced a wallet in which he had indicated seven letters and Christnias eards. All the letters were addressed to Donaldson and were signed ' ' Rona. ' ' A search of a drawer had revealed live and empty eartridges. Donaldson had taken from the drawer a leather holster and belt and had said 'the pistol was in a hole at the baclc of Ihe cowshed. He had said his brother liad brought the holster and pistol back i'rom overseas. The pistol was recovered from a river bed at a point to which the police were direct'ed by accused. The weapon, witli holster and ammunition, had been brought to New Zea land by accused 's brother who was a prisoner of war for four years and was in Austria when the war ended. It was kept in accused 's room. Accused had tohi witness he did not want to hurt Rona and Glendore tapped on tlie window. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed for trial at the Auckland Supreme Court o> October 22.