A STRANGE CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1925, Page 3

A STRANGE CASE

TARANAKI MAX'S CLAIM. EVIDENCE IN PERJURY TRIAL HAW ERA. Nov. If. During ihe election campaign some of the Labour leaders claimed that the mantle of Richard .Tolm Scddon had lellen on their .'-•boulders. George William Hayward lias gone further. He claims to have Seddon’s spirit. Hayward made that assertion in the hearing of a charge of perjury at Hnwera. He had laid two informations against another Taranaki resident of having committed perjury during the hearing of eases in the Magistrate's Court at Ha we ill and Opimake. Both informations were dismissed, hut during his cross-examination hv Mr F. O'Don, counsel for flic defence, some interesting dialogue occurred. Mr O’Don : Have you some evidence ? This charge Ims nothing whatever to do with the assault complained of. Hayward : Was there another assault ? Mi- O’Dea: If the defendant should swear that the incident to which ho pleaded guilty at Opunnke was not the incident mentioned by you. what would you say ? Hayward: 1 would say he was

u rung. Mr O’Dea: I think that you have visions. Haven't you? Hayward: I can’t say that 1 do. Mr O’Dea: Do you remember telling tile men on the works at Kapnni that an angel appeared to you and told you that tile spirit of Richard Seddou was in you? Hayward: Well, that would ho a vision. Mr O’Dea: 1 suppose it would he a reality! Hayward: T did not say that an a.ngel appeared to me; I only said that f felt that I had the spirit myself. Mr O’Dea: You feel you must go out and help people?— 1 do. and have done so. A sort of missionary zeal.' That is You unlit to revolutionise the whole world ?—Oh, no. You mean to tour all over New Zealand and the world, and to enlighten the negroes of-A frica ? —The white people want it more than the negroes. I told the men, incidentally, that I wanted to bring light to the white people, hut I never meant to revolutionise the whole world. 1 only want to help them with money and assistance, which • have done on many occasions. Mr O’Dea: You wife was not included in the jieople you wanted to help y You have not been maintaining her ? Hayward : She does not enter into the case at all. Mr O’Dea submitted that there was no case to answer. The magistrate said there was not the slightest chance of the prosecution succeeding. It would be a waste of public money. Perjury’ was a hard thing to prove. If Hayward’s case were ten times as strong it would never get beyond the judge’s charge to the grand jury.