MOUAT SENTENCED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2930, 1 September 1925, Page 3

MOUAT SENTENCED.

SEVENTEEN YEARS’ HARD LABOUR.

Christchurch, August 31. A| the Supreme Court His Honour Mr .Justice Reed sent'enced Frederick Peter Alonat, who lias been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of his wife, to 17 years’ hard labour. Mount showed no signs of emotion whatever while sentence was being passed, except to lower bis eves at the words “seventeen years.” The Judge said the jury was entitled to infer I lie crim'e was unpremodiated and committed in the heal of passion. It was entitled to infer that after mutual recriminations over financial matters something was said to Atonal by his wife which provoked him, and he battered the unfortunate woman' to death. The jury has taken a merciful viVw of the situation, ll could have found yon guilty of murder. The Judge said that having arrived at the conclusion that the crime was unpremeditated, the cause of a sudden quarrel could he inferred from one statement to the poliee in which Al’ouat said: "My wife and I remained ni Airs Prosser's till 10.30 or 11 p.m. On arrival at our house 1 told her in the bedroom that the oheqiiv site gave Airs Marlow for rent could not be passed as Sumpter, of Oaniarit, who was -collecting my accounts, bad not paid in any money or sent a cheque. She said: “Where is all the money?" You have squandered too much, and now we are down. Why did yon not tell life before?" So I sit id, “I did not care to do so." At this time we were hot,it in lied. After that we said good-night and went to sleep.’’

The Judge hold that the jury was entitled to infer that in I lint statement Mount; stopped at the critical point, and that the woman's death followed.