CONSTABLE’S CRIME

Evening Star, Issue 24290, 3 September 1942, Page 3

CONSTABLE’S CRIME

I DALMATIAN GUMDIGGER SHOT IN I BACK I ATTEMPTED MURDER ADMITTED I (I’.A.) KAITAIA, Sept. 2. B In the Police Court to-day Herbert | Hunter Barrett, aged 41, a police constable, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to murder Mato Soko Urlicli, aged 38, a Dalmatian gumdigger, at Lake Ohia, on July *2O, and was committed by Mr .Raymond Ferner, S.M., to the Supremo Court at Auckland for sentence. Lengthy evidence, tho hearing of which occupied sis hours, was followed with intense interest by a large number of spectators, most of whom were Dalmatians. Dr McKechnie, , medical superintendent of the Mangonui Hospital, Kaitaia, said that Urlich was admitted to tho hospital suffering from the effects of two bullet wounds. He was now convalescent, and would recover if his general health remained good. Mate Soko Urlich said he had known Barrett for four or five years, the period of Barrett’s term as constable at Mangonui, and they had always been on friendly terms. In August, 1941, Barrett visited him saying that he wanted a loan of £250, which he had tried unsuccessfully to obtain elsewhere. Ho said he wanted it to take worries from his shoulders. Urlich drew the money’ from the Post Office, handing it to Barrett, who gave him a promissory note in exchange; Interest was to be paid over a threeyear term at 3 per cent, every sis months. On July 20 last he was walking home when Barrett told, him he had gome money for him and drove him to John Urlich’s store. Witness waited for the accused for about threequarters of an hour. When < Barrett returned they drove to witness’s camp, a corrugated iron hut, where Barrett gave him £5 for interest. There was no argument, and Barrett said he would pay a further £2 10s, which he owed, at "the end of August. “ Barrett said he wanted me to take him to a high ridge to make plans,” Urlich continued. They proceeded for a good mile. Barrett asked Urlich if he had told anybody about the money, and he replied that he had not. The nearest occupied shanty to the place where they were walking would be about a mile. When returning they were passing through a gum area, Barrett following, when Urlich heard two shots behind him. He felt a third shot pass under his arm, and he felt an injury in the back. “ I started to yell out, and turned round,” Urlich said. “ Barrett was about 2yds behind me. He dropped the revolver from his hand. He was going to pick it up, but I do not remember what happened to it. He fell into _ a gum hole, and called out not to hit him. I left, and the accused was still in the gum hole. About a minute before he fired the shot the accused asked how far it was from the place where I dig gum. After running for almost a-quarter of a mile I saw the accused running behind me. I was in great pain, and, fearing that the accused might catch up. I took a different track, and reached a house occupied by a_ man named Divich. Barrett was wearing gumboots, while I was wearing light shoes.” SHOUTS FOR HELP, Ivan Divich said he was collecting firewood on July 30 when he heard two shots in the distance. Then he heard somebody shouting for' help. About 10 minutes later he heard someone shouting again, and, going to the door, he saw Urlich coming out of a clump of trees from the direction' from which he had heard the shots. Urlich, who was bleeding from his wounds, collapsed nt the gate. Ivan Louie Jurlina, a fanner, of Lake Ohia, who accompanied Steve Urlich to the Kaiangaroa Post Office to telephone the Mangonui Police Station, said •he had told Barrett, who answered the telephone, that Mate Urlich had been shot, and that he wanted permission to take him to hospital. Barrett told him to get the man to hospital. Sergeant Simister, of Kaitaia, said he received a telephone message from Barrett stating that he had been informed that Mate Urlich had been shot. Barrett said he had just returned from making inquiries in the Lake Ohia district, where he had got his car stuck in a gum hole, and was himself in “ a terrible mess.” John Ulrich, a storekeeper, brother of the injured man, said that Barrett had tried to borrow £250 from him in August of last year, as he was in trouble about his car. On the day of the shooting Barrett had called on him with a small cardboard box, which he said contained cartridges. He said he had no use for them, as he had no gun, and was going away from the district. Some days previously he had promised to give the cartridges to witness. The accused had said; “ I don’t owe anything to Mate.” Witness did not know why the- accused had made this remark. Barrett had told I him he was going to see if Maori residents had buried a cow, but later he returned wet and muddy, saying that he had fallen into a gum hole. He did not seem normal, and kept saying; “It can’t be helped. I lent him £l, though he wanted five.” ADMISSIONS BY ACCUSED. Detective-sergeant J. B. Finlay produced a statement signed by Barrett. Barrett said he realised that what he had done was irreparable, and that he must face tho inevitable punishment. He added that it was not until Ulrich got into thick scrub that a sudden urge came. He then realised what he had done, and called out that he would get a doctor. Ulrich, however, had disappeared. When he left Mangonui that afternoon ho had no intention of shooting Ulrich. His actions wore duo to financial worry, Barrett continued. Ho gave details of car purchases to carry’ out his police duties, for which he said he received £45 a year. He borrowed * money’ from a bank, and it was to i repay this that he borrowed from Ulrich. He also had domestic troubles through sickness, doctors having to he brought from Kaitaia at a cost of £7 10s a visit. From the time he saw Ulrich until he fired the shots everything seemed a blank. He had an old .22 revolver, and this happened to be in the pocket of the car. After the shooting he had thrown the weapon into i the harbour. Cross-examined by Mr Reynolds, 1 Detective-sergeant Finlay said that c Barrett had dictated the statement him- 1 self without any quesions being asked. The confession had saved tho police 1 much trouble, and the country expense. \ Barrett at the time he made the state- £ ment was suffering from severe mental 1 strain. a In evidence, Inspector Fox said that Barrett had purchased a car for use as required, but it was not correct that the only’ allowance was an annual one, as the accused had stated. There were I annual allowances provided in certain ! circumstances, but there were also mileage allowances. { Mr Reynolds submitted that this I c evidence was not admissahle. I r

The Magistrate upheld counsel’s submission. Continuing his evidence, Inspector Fox said that Barrett was an efficient constable. Tn 19 years of service he had a clean record. Replying to Mr Reynolds, Inspector Fox said that he was in full accord with the statement that there was a genuine desire on Barrett’s part to have all the people concerned trouble and worry.