SEQUEL TO THE TRIAL OF RUA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3032, 20 March 1917, Page 6

SEQUEL TO THE TRIAL OF RUA

WITNESSES "TRIED FOR PERJURY

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A LAWYER _ , .^ By Telegraph—Press Association. . v •-., Hamilton, March 19. The hearing of the perjury charges against Natives who gave evidence at tho trial of Una in • Auckland . was opened at the Supreme Court this afternoon, before Mr. Justico Hosking. Mr. Maya appeared for the Crown. Benjamin Biddle (who was represented by Mr. Hopkins) was brought up for sentence, having pleaded guilty to a charge of committing perjury by swearing that the man who fired the first shot on April 2 at Maungapohatu was Constable Skinner.

Senior-Sergt. Cassells, giving evidence as probation officer, said that the accused made a statement to him to the effect that he had! been induced to commit perjury by the solicitor appearing in the case. i Mr. Mays pointed out that '■ the accused, -who was a son-in-law of IVua, had given the Crown valuable information. There was no doubt-that the niana of Biia was over them all, and that he counted as a god with the Maoris. .

His Honour, in sentencing the prisoner, said he would take all these considerations, into account, and the fact that ho had-made a.clean breast of the whole matter. Perjury, however, was a serious crime, and hard to detect in many cases. Prisoner would be sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, with hard labour.

Mahia- 'Balcoke, another witness, was also brought up for sentence on a charge of porjury. to which lie had pleaded guilty. Prisoner had sworn that Constable Skinner was out of sight" when Pukenuke picked up his gun at Mamngapohatu.

■When asked if he had anything; to say, prisoner said he.had been frightened bv tho police, and that his evidence at Auckland was true. His Honour said he had no power to have the pica of cuilty withdrawn.

Mr. Mays said that certain influence bad been brought to bear upon the prisoner. !

His Honour said that prisoner spoilt any morit -which may have attached to his plea of guilty by coming here and ewearina: the opposite story. Prisoner was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour. Wi 'Hapo, who was Native Interpreter 'for the Defence Department at Auckland, was then charged with secreting the witness Mahia. thus perverting the course of justice. Mr. Hampson appeared for the prisoner. In opening the case for the Crown Mr. Mays said that the present charge was one of five, but of,the whole five it was the most important, as bearing ■upon the administration of criminal law. Prisoner had admitted , that he had had this man, and sent him away, but ho did it, he said, becawse Mr.-' I/undon, counsel for the defence, told him to do it. "What answer,"' addefl coiinsel, "Mr. Lundon has to give to that I don't know."

Mahia Hakeke was examined at great length by Mr. Mays. Witness said that the story given by him in the Lower Court at Rotoma was all a fabrication. There' was no hotel and no motor-car. The whole thing was a lhyth. ..'.•..

Mr. Mays then produced , a written confession by the accused, in which lie stated: "Just before the luncheon adjournment Mr. Lundon and' myself noticed Sergt. Cassells speak, to Mr. Tolo about, the discrepancies in~Mahia's evidence. At one o'clock Mr. Lundon took me into; the robing room, and we discovered the discrepancy. Mr., Lundon said ;it would be better for Mahia to be out of the way and out of sight altogether. Hβ told me to tell Mahia. I met Mahia,that, evening, and told him'about the discrepancies in his evidence, and what Mr. Lundon had eaid. Mahia.was very frightened, and wanted to be secreted, and I took him to'the Aurora Hotel and l rang up Mr. Lundon. The latter said: 'He is ojiite safe to go home, if he is not intercepted by the police.' I asked Mr. Lundon: 'Shall I send him , away by the night train?' Mr: Liindon said: 'Yes.' I went up to Mahia. He was very frightened, and said <he could not.go to sleep. I told him Mr. Lundon'b instructions. He said he would do that. I took him to the railway station in a taxi. . I met Mr. Lundon on Saturday. He said to me: 'Has Mahia gone ?' I said: 'Yes—last night.' I told him how, and he laughed and passed on. I did vpi , think I was doing anything wrong then." Asked by Mr. Mays what he had to say to this, Mahia said: "I refuse to make any statement in regard to 'the truth or otherwise of Wi IfepeTe annfcssion." AH he would say was that his own story at Eotorua was a fabrication.