ET TERRIBHLTE AFFAIR A KANIERI.

Temuka Leader, Issue 304, 14 October 1880, Page 2

ET TERRIBHLTE AFFAIR A KANIERI.

COMMITTAL OF HUTCHISON FOR MURDER Tho man Hutchison, who has been , a oust'd of the murder of his wife and , child in connection with the fire at Kanieri, has been committed fn-trial on the charge. It will be remembered that tne woman and her child met their death un fer very painful and suspicious circumstances, having been burned alive in their dwelling On Saturday the R.M. Court at Hokitika was occupied up till , 7 o’clock in the evening hearing the case. The evidence showed that at the time of the fire Hutchison wrs fully dressed in coat, vest, trousers. &c. His eldest daughter stated that her father left her youngest sister behind till she called attention to her absence. One of the witnesses stated that it was commonly rumored that this younger daughter was not Hu c dsons own child. Acts of brutality towards his wife, too shocking' to be described in print, were proved against him by two female witnesses, and his own mate spoke of other nets of violence. It was proved that he stated to Inspector Keely that he had saved nothing fnmthe fire except his gun,'which had fallen on his shoglder I while trying to arouse Ids wife. In | r ality he had saved all his tools, a hag | of food he had bought the night before j I the fire, a pair of trousers and a spring | j balance, all of which were in the room

where his wife and baby were burnt, IP was also proved that the remain* of bis wife were found in such a position that she could not have been lying on a stretcher insensible as stated by ih; prisoner at the inquest. A keros* uctin was found on tire floor of the room where his wile and baby were burnt. To the great astonishment of everyone when the other witnesses had bien examined, Mr. Giles, who had .presided as Reside! t Magistiatc ihrougii’ tlie whole of the examination, lescended froth the Bench and gave evidence both as Coroner a lid as a m tuber of the College of Surgeons, against the prisoner, and. then resumed his smtt on the Bench, aud in concert with his brother magistrates, Messrs. Reed, M. Id, U,, and the Hun, J. Bonar, M. L.C., committed the prisoner for trial.