ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3611, 10 March 1927, Page 3

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

JOYCE GETS ONE YEAR’S HARD

LABOUR. Gisborne, Marcjh 9. Another serious criminal charge came before the Supreme Court today, when Noema Kaiwai appeared before Mr. Justice Ostler on a charge of attempting to murder Thomas Alfred Joyce by discharging at him 'the contents of a shotgun. Kaiwai was alternatively charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and assault with intent ftp cause bodily harm. Accused pleaded not guilty. The evidlenlcie showetd that the cases arose out of a Maori woman’s relations with two men at Ruatoria, near Waipu River. The woman had lived first with Kaiwai then with Joyce, then returning to Kaiwai. Joyce had gained possession of a ring from the woman, and Kaiwai demanded its return. Joyce refused aud Kaiwai secured a gun and fired at Joyce, who received the pellets in the shoulder. Accused fired again and missed, and Joyce closed with him, wrestling the gun from him, and later delivered the gun to the police. The jury after a quarter of an hour’s retirement returned with a verdict of guilty on the third Count, assault with intent to cause bodily harm. In imposing a sentence of one year’s hard labour, His Honour, addressing prisoner, said: “I consider you are very lucky in that you were not here to answer a charge of murder, and the jury very lenient with you. I think if I had been judging the case I would not have been so merciful. I have to presume you 'did not intend to kill 01 injure the man, but merely to frighten him.”