ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1931, Page 2

ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE

KERR GETS SEVEN YEARS, 'By Telegraph—Per Press Association) HAMILTON, June 15. Addressing prisoner, His Honour said that it was difficult to determine in a case of this kind what punishment was most appropriate. That the offence must be dealt with severity which acoordod with present-day standard#, w h certain, That prisoner had boon convicted, His Honour thought properly so, He deliberately attempted to kill this girl. There were some people in the community whose sympathy in eases of this description went out to the accused persons, but who had little regard for those who suffered as a result of the crime. This offence might have had a much more disastrous result. One regretted to note, added the judge, that recently crimes of murder, and attempted murder figured prominently in the criminal calender. Whether this was due to inadequate punishment or whether it arose from another cause. His Honour was unable to decide. It seemed to His Honour that the prisoner deliberately did what he is now to be punished or. It might have been that just be'ore the incident Kerr had been drinking and that his sense of right and wrong was somewhat unbalanced. Tt was plain, however, that for an obscure reason - lie made up his mind to revenge himself upon Miss West and deliberately shoot her. Blit for the intervention of Ward, a man of over "0. prisoner might have done further damage. Prisoner was sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour.