TRIAL OF NIVEN

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1933, Page 5

TRIAL OF NIVEN

FURTHER EVIDENCE

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE.

(Per Press Assdr.iq,iionr~_ Copyright .)

" ' BORLAND, May 15. -'At.;the, hearing of., the charges against Christopher ‘Niven, the wife of the wounded. man//Hamlet Bates,, said; “After mv husband ieftj 1 heard . something, like ' the ; crack/. df/|afV whip twice. I think the intervale between the cracks; Would' be Wo, or tlired seconds. I rushed ' the. yard. ;J>, met my husband. He was swaying'.- acro&s the yard. Then lie ayent inside.” A statement made by the accused. was produced by. the . police, ,ip ..which, , accused said ; ‘‘On April 14 I took a revolver and/about twelve. j.ouiid s ~of. ammunition, as T 'wanted'tq .clear, out and get over; to .Australia^, and .start a fresh life over ■ there, I ;went to 7 the 'Station, Hotel, and stole one of Shorter’s rental cars, standing cuitside. ' I went' to Mercer, and’ stopped -outside a garage. 1’ went to ; a hptei, • quired- for the ’ prqprie'tbr'.'.of /theh garage, He came - found" ’-and . gave ’> me two and a. halfgallops I asked for some air.': He opened the garage, and ..I di’Qye the car .righti jtv; Ho put. some air in thfe-bscl? tyre,'' was •going to away without paying, ' 1 and he hopped ; pn' .the iinning.-bqard—-and said : ‘That will' bo . 6s’.’ ! He wouldnot/jutf/hie:''dn.v'e‘away,;. I got out .pf i a ' r:gun at him, sayihgj. T haveTiot'.any_' money,’ I .told him to walk" down the street,. as I wanted ..to -get rid .Of ,lfitn.

I had a gun in hiy hand.' Hq was advancing towards me, ,ahd I-- was backing away, and' I wf b. pretty nervous by then. All. of. ...i&udjlen: , the gun. went off. It happened ter 'be pointed pi’ftty low, and I thought if had got him in the stomach. H e .ran, into .the „garage. He was holding his ' .stomach. I was bewildered and. nervous'. and . gun went off again. I climbed into. the car and; shot, off again/’ . After",the accused pleaded ; not- guilty to the charge .of attempted/,mp/^r,. he was committed to 'the ' Supreme Couirt. On an additional jcharge of'.: unlawfully ’ converting a, ear/'- hq hvas cOnyfetedt and sentenced i to. ithree jfnppthg >4“" prisdnmerit.: . f- i" '•• • • ; •