SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1932, Page 6

SUPREME COURT

PALMERSTON NORTH SITTING. (Ter Press Association — Copyright.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Oct. to. The quarterly session of the Supreme Court opened this morning, Justice Blair in his charge to the Grand Jury said that the dictrict was to he congratulated on. its freedom,from crime, involving violence cr dishonesty. His Honour added that there was only one case for trial, and it arose out of the the driving of a motor car, being a charge against a youth of reckless or indigent/ driving thereby causing death.

The Grand Jury returned a no bill in the charge against William Edward Barlow, aged 18 of reckless and negligently driving a motor car, thereby causing death.

TWO MURDER CHARGES

AUCKLAND, October 25.

There are twenty-four coses involving twenty-seven prisoners for trial at the criminal s ft-ion of the Supreme Court which opened to-day. There are two charges of murder,, one a train st a half-caste Meori hoy. Hot a Fred, Gardner, (a. rc-trial), and the other against George Frederick Hewer, described (as a doctor.

Justice .Smith in his charge to the grand jury referred to the Hewer ease as very . peculiar indeed. He said the charge of murder was in re-vet of an infant .child, the isame .child concerning which a, charge of procuring abortion was made against the same n-ison'r. The law laid it, down that the killing of such a child was homicide, if the infant died of injuries ro-eivH before, during nr i»,fter Li nth. In this ease the evido" ,o e showed' that .a.fter the birth of the child it removed the most complete attention and care, accused having directed that, it be sent to St. Helen’s hospital. To obtain conviction it would he necessary to show that the amused committed an unlawful act, with intent that the child if horn alive, should die.