SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1922, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

ZAMBUKKA MURDER CASE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Gisborne, March n 5. The Supreme Court to-day commenced the trial of the young Native, Rutene Topi, on a charge of having murdered Paul Zambukka at the Motu River on November 4. It is expected about 50 witnesses will be called, most of them Natives, and that the hearing of the case will continue till the weekend. Mr. F. M. Nolan appears for the Crown, and Mr. L. T. Burnard for the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty. Mr. Nolan, in opening the case for the Crown, mentioned that since the hearing in the lower court some fresh evidence had been discovered. Some weeks ago some Natives, collecting fungus. discovered a shirt that belonged to Rutene, and that he was seen wearing at the time of the murder. There were some dark stains upon it. The Natives put it back orf a log. Detective McLeod had gone to Opotiki to investigate, and information would be brought to show that the shirt -had been removed by prisoner’s mother, torn up and thrown into the creek. McLeod, however, had succeeded in finding some of the shirt in the stream. Evidence was given by Leslie Kay, public works engineer, who produced a locality plan. Kapu Eruti, farmer, of Maraenui, and Nikitaia, farm hand, gave an account of Zambukka’s last visit to Maraenui and the finding of the body. CHRISTCHURCH SESSIONS. Christchurch, March 15. Tn the Supreme Court William Coe, aged 64 years, came up for' sentence for theft and false pretences. He had pleaded guilty to the theft of £9B premiums, collected while an agent of an insurance company. He had made restitution. The judge Raid that-it was not desirable that prisoner should be released on probation and he was fined £3O. Winifred Cockle, aged 19 x on six charges of breaking and entering, was admitted to probation for three years.