WESTPORT MURDER CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 308, 24 December 1908, Page 2

WESTPORT MURDER CASE.

GOVERNMENT'S ACTION EXPLAINED. A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE. TO BE REFERRED TO PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister was interviewed to-night by a Times representative in regard to the telegram from Westport that the (iovernment had acted harshly in not granting compensation in the Hallineu and Andersen case. "The Government gave the. whole matter very careful consideration," said Sir Joseph Ward. "It was very fully discussed from its various standpoints, and wc came to the conclusion that we could not see our way to authorise a monetary payment, nnd k in any case, that we could not do so without reference to Parliament. Among other things it was shown at the first trial that these men were not put in the witness-box to give evidence on their own behalf, and, while in no way finding fault with those who were responsible for the conduct of the case or making any comment upon it from that standpoint, I may say that the Government has been advised that if the men had given evidence in their own defence in tilie first instance they would not have been found guilty of murder. In other words, they could not have been placed in the position they eventually found themselves in. There is no fault imputed to any Government officer or to the Justice Department concerning the case, so far ns we are aware-. In fact, we ordered the prosecution of Connelly for murder, and are doing what is our duty in that respect. In the opinion of the Government the question of the responsibility of providing monetary payment in a case of this kind is of such importance that wc considered Parliameirtr*!titßTrttf' be consulted to decide linally as to whether the, GoyCTUMusit should be called upojj-to make n&nvlnry provision incases .nature,,, At.a". evi',nt>V' -we,- ar«,|iioij pr/mare'd, »|a-k;C|»-,;»ioiiti-| .tar,y ;W Oifi P'll? 0 ! 11^. -have, ,SW)v, iMuffl'ly fl" I ;:rV?ftl WVO^ii.y,.^'i;i ii! oS^i y»>.i ,l »V. lh U 5 )WK.ft:' '!»!»»:•!<)'/.; l#iH*!:>n.n >,i ■-.■;■>,■ 7 .*!'-* it iiii.n-.bMggßftiHi niW'Ji ..wmv/a :i