BARNES SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2770, 12 August 1924, Page 3

BARNES SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS.

“VERY BAD TYPE OF CASE.”

Joseph Barnes, found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of Walter John Wlmll, at Wnitangi boardinghouse on May Ist, appeared before Mr Justice MacGregor at Wellington on Saturday morning, and was sentenced to imprisonment -with bard labour for a period of ten years.

On appearing for prisoner, Mr Stevenson remarked that certain points bad been reserved and I here was one further point— TTis Honour: “This is not the lime for that. I wish to hear you on the question of sentence. That is the purpose for which (be Court met Ibis morning.” Mr Stevenson said the evidence would be so fresh thni lie would not n for to it. beyond drawing attention to ihe fact that there was no I reniedifated crime, and if was not ine done in secret. He also wished to draw attention fo ibe fact that Wlmll came to llm scene of (lie trouble and started anything flint occurred. As to character, be said prisoner bad been a hard working young fellow all his life. TTe did not drink at all. and, except for his infatuation fora woman, would probably never have appeared before any Court. TTe bad bad a very good military record as far as that went. Tie was rejected in Australia owing to his size. He then went to England and got to the lighting line, where lie was wounded and gassed. He had done his service and had a , lean record in the army.

Tn reply to his Honour, prisoner said lie was 32 years of age, and had been 31 years in New Zealand, In passing sentence, his Honour said it was a great shame to see a young man of prisoner’s type before the Court on such a charge. He had been convicted on very clear evidence of lhi- crime of manslaughter —manslaughter nf a very had t\po. Tl appeared that he had enticed the wife of deceased, and deceased naturally resented it, and more than once thrashed prisoner in consequence. On the last of these occasions, and a few minutes later, prisoner followed him and stabbed him with a butcher’s knife. The jury had taken a merciful view that he acled on provocation. None the less, he Imd killed a fellow being. In this, and all other British countries, the use of the knife must be put an end to, and if was his plain duly to inflict a substantial penalty. The prisoner was liable fo imprisonment for life, and if he had been an older man, lie may have luu\ to inflict this penalty.