PICTON MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1932, Page 5

PICTON MURDER

FURTHER EVIDENCE

NEW WITNESSES

(Per Press Association — Copyright.)

BLENHEIM, November 25. The Flood murder trial was resumed this afternoon.

After a string of witnesses had proved that on divers dates between March anj June this year the prisoner had cashed in Blenheim shops five twenty-pounds notes and eleven, tenpound notes, Mr Parry, for the prisoner, said that the defence would not deny that the accused cashed the notes, and these particular witnesses would not be cross-examined. The defence would explain later how accused came into possession of the notes. Late in the afternoon, the Crown Prosecutor announced that the pext Crown witness was the first of two new witnesses who had not been heard in the Lower Court.

Mr Parry, for the defence, objected to the introduction of new witnesses at this stage. He quoted Section 366 of the Crimes Act in support of his contention.

Mr Macassey said that due notice had been given of the intention to call those witnesses, and a copy of their depositions had been forwarded to the defence,

After hearing argument in Chamber* the Judge ruled that the evidence was admissable. The Crown then called Jack McDonald,- by occupation a farmer. His evidence was that of seeing an old man, who afterwards was pointed out as James Flood, in the Post Office. He saw him take a wallet from an inside pocket, abstract from it a large roll of notes, and pay some of it to the postal clerk.

The other new witness corroborated the of McDonald. Detective Hall told of an intensive search of fences and hedges around the Picton croquet lawn, where the key of Flood’s cottage had been found. He found no wallet. He also detailed a search of Tarrant’s house, where nothing of any moment was found. He was looking for a weapon.