FARMER KILLED

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1929, Page 6

FARMER KILLED

— —<&*•- MAORI AND EMPLOYER FOUND GUILTY. By Telegraph- -Per Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 22. After a two hour retirement, the jury to-day found a Maori named Rami Watson, and his employer, Louis Albert Sarten, a farmer, guilty of negligent driving so as to cause the death of John Poletti. Accused were remanded in custody for sentence to-morrow. On alternative charges of manf slaughter, accused were found not guilty. The charges arose out of an incident on the evening of June 11, when Poiietti, a well-known farmer of Bell Block, was knocked .down by a lorry driven by Watson, and killed. The lorry had.no lights and both accused had known lor a fortnight that the battery was out of order. Watson was driving the lorry eighteen minutes after the time when it was supposed to: be .lighted, and Sarten was driving his ear behind the lorry in an endeavour to light the way. When the driver of the lorry saw the. car approaching he pulled well off on the correct side. It was then he became aware be bad struck something. Ho stopped and found Poiietti in a dying condition.

The jury added a rider to the verdict, very strongly recommending Watson to mercy, and recommending Sarten to mercy.