A SHOCKING DEATH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2080, 15 May 1907, Page 1

A SHOCKING DEATH.

A tragedy occurred recently at Woodstock, in New South Wales. The murdered man, Joseph Garrett, was 65 years of age, and was one of a party of three employed by Mr. C. L. Smith, burr-cutting. He had been working for Mr. Smith nine weeks. The murderer, Richard Miners, who is 54 years of age, had been

11 weeks at work. Both are strangers in the Woodstoc'k locality. They were camped about 500 yards from Mr. Maurer’s (the manager’s) house, and left camp about seven o’clock iu company with a third burr-cutter, Jack Brew. The latter went on ahead to tho second paddock, half a mile av- ay, and knew nothing of what had rt eurred till he icturned to camp. Mmers made a statement to Mr; Maurer that a quarrel arose when he and Garrett reached tile paddock oyei some “statement Miners alleged that Garrett had made three years ago on the Bogan—that Minors had beeii guilty of a shocking offence. Miners said “I had some doubts about Garret’s identity t'ill that morning, when I became convinced that "Garrett was the man. I accused him of it,“ when Garrett lifted bis hoe to me. I then struck him on the bead with my hoe, 1 and don’t know how many times more I struck him, but it was several times.”

The murdered man was frightfully disfigured, the face being smashed in and the head split open in several places. The murderer seems to have acted, with great coolness, as he proceeded to the head station and asked Mrs. Smith, Mr. Smith being absent; for his money. Failing to get this he told the manager’s boy to go for his father, as he wanted to tell him something. On the latter’s arrivel Miners made the statement given. He told Mr. Maurer to send for the police. On their arrivel he conducted them to where the body was lying, telling the sub-inspector he had nothing to bide. He subsequently assisted to lift the body into a cart, and arrange its disposal therein. The body was afterwards brought into town. Miners was arrested and placed in the lockup here. An inquest was opened and adjourned. The hoe used by Miners to do the deadly woi'k had its handle splintered, so fierce had been its use, and the blade was covered with blood and hair. The weapon was found in Miners’ camp.

On one. of the targets used, at the rifle match at Stratford a line was drawn about two inches from the bottom, and underneath was the legend: “Hits in this margin are misses.”

The Wellington Education Board has resolved that in cases approved by the inspectors, school residences in remote spots shall be furnished by the Board with a table, two chairs, bedstead, and kitchen dresser.

An interesting experiment has been carried on at the Mornington (Dunedin) public school for some months with • apparently satisfactory results. In July, 190(5, a system of bodily measurements was established in connection with Standard YI., and this has now been extended to Standard V. Under this system a monthly record of the height, weight, and chest measurement of each pupil is taken, and so far till the pupils'have shown a steady increase in all three directions. The girls show greater increase- in height, but the boys have made greater progress in regard to chest development. It is an interesting fact that the children who went away for the Christmas vacation showed little or no increase in weight, while those who remained at home showed an increase varying from 21b to 71b. The March measurements, however, showed very decided increases in the cases of pupils who Uad gone away for the holidays,