JOHNSON MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1931, Page 5

JOHNSON MURDER

RAMEKA ON TRIAL. (By Teleyraph —Per Press Association) AUCKLAND. August 3. The trial of Raineka Kere (George Rnmeka) aged 39, on a charge of murdering Gwendoline Alice Johnson on the morning of June 24th. opened in the Supreme Court before Justice Smith and a jury. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr Meredith, and Air McCarthy conducted the ease and Mr Noble appears for the prisoner. Air Meredith in his opening address traversed the facts brought out at the lower court, the hearing of which began on July 16th. He said Mrs Johnson and her daughter Queenie Rose Lawrence posed as sisters. The acquaintance sprang up at a dance between the accused and Mrs Johnson. Later when she was ill h e 1 requently visited her and appeared to become infatuated. Ail - -Uer clitil said the Crown would submit that a letter writUm bv accused would show that he had in mind some injury to Mrs Johnson, to be followed by suicide. Regarding any suggestion of provocation, 'Mr Meredith said there was no provocation to justify reducing ihe charge to manslaughter. Mrs Johnson was perfectly entitled to terminate The acquaintanceship. It Was ah ordinary .case and not infrequent, of ail itlratlier than accept dismissal by a woman, ratlin' than accept dismissed by a woman, would sacrifice her and himself. Queenie ’Rose Lawrence aged 17, whose right arm was stil in a sling then gave evidence.