MANSLAUGHTER VERDICT.

Chronicle (Levin), 12 May 1948, Page 5

MANSLAUGHTER VERDICT.

WANGANUI, May 11. After a retirement of four liours, a jury in the Bupreme Court at Wanganui today - returned a verdiet of guilty ..of manslaughter in the case in which Agnes Hopi? otherwise known as Baranihi, a Alaori woman aged 19, was cliarged with the murder x»f a ferualo child at Taihape on- or about April 5, The jufv added a strong recoinmendation to mercy. "A proper- verdiet and a propei rider," commented. his Honour, Mr. Justice Cornish, in remanding llopi fo: sentence. Before passing ^sentence his Honoui said he would like to know what the matron of the Taihape Hospital, where accused had, been employed in domestic duties, thought about the matter. "Would she take her back " asked his Honour. The trial arose as the result of the findiug of a suitcase containing: tlie oody of a newly born female chif-d down a bank in serub and undergrovvth, a mile and a lialf north oi Taihape. A motor car with a trailei attaehed liad got olit of control traveliing along the road and erashed ovei die bank. Neither of i^s occupants was uurt and -when scrambling back to the road saw a suitcase. Later the suitcase was taken to Taihape by a garage nian who had been called to assist in getting the vehicles back 011 to the road. He opened the case in Taihape and then handed it to the police. Medical evidence was that the body of the child showed'that no homicidal violence had been done to it and it vvas the opinion of the chief medical

.vitness, JJr. I. H. Pullar, pathologist, 1 alinerston North, that death was tnoi'e likely to have oeeurred from exposure and inattention. There was some evidence, he said, to suggest the "ody had been placed in the suitcase after death.