PIHA TRIAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1939, Page 6

PIHA TRIAL

FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD IN SUPREME COURT ARRIVAL OF ACCUSED AT AUCKLAND. BURIAL OF PATRICK SHINE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. The public space, including the women’s gallery, in the Supreme Cour was. crowded today, when the 11 -a trial was resumed. The first Crown witness. Wilfred Guild Lowrie. Customs clerk, produced a declaration showing that McKay and Talbot arrived in Auckland by the Mariposa on February 6. Talbot declared that he came as a visitor and McKay on busin°Maud Selina Mary Bishop, Hardinge Street. City, gave evidence that she let a room to the two accused at £1 weekly. Witness saw McKay after he had his teeth extracted on the following Saturday.. She made hin } bread and milk. McKay said he and Talbot were going to Piha and that he would not return, but that Talbot would. On Sunday morning Talbot returned with a friend named Jones, who said McKay had been burnt in a fire. Talbot seemed very upset. Mr V. R. Meredith (Crown Prosecutor): ‘-When did you next see McKay?” . _ , „ Witness: “In the Lower Court. Mr W. Noble: “Did McKay tell you he was going to Wellington to see the Prime Minister or ' anything like that?”—“No.” ■ Mr Noble: “They only took a room for a week?”—“Yes.” Cecil Bertie Shine, retired, stated that he was a brother of the late Patrick Shine, who died in the hospital, aged 54, on February 8. He saw the coffin screwed down and buried in the Roman Catholic portion of the Cemetery. Gertrude Eleanor Slurt, a nurse at the Hospital, said she helped to lay Shine out. His mouth was plugged with a handful of cotton wool. To Mr J. Terry, witness said she was first asked to recollect the death of Shine after Talbot’s arrest. Charles Caradus Tyler, monumental mason, said that while he was working at the Cemetery on February 9, a man .whom lie now knew to be McKay approached and asked where the soldier was being buried. Witness told him there were two. McKay said: “Whiit. are there two?” Witness said he pointed out the two graves. McKay said it was a nice day and walked towards the crematorium. Witness did not see McKay again. Cross-examined by Mr Noble, witness said McKay was walking on the asphalt path,i but. might have got some clay on his bools. Stephen Walter Tition, undertaker, told how he received the body of Patrick Shine and took it to his mortuary chapel. There was a siring of Rosary beads, with a cross attached, around the neck. Witness screwed the lid of the casket down. At that lime there was no clay in the casket. Mr N. I. Smith (for the Crown): “Have you any idea of the weight of the body and casket?” Witness: “I could not say.” Frank Woodward, who. does general maintenance work at the Cemetery, told how he assisted in lowering Patrick Shine’s, casket into the grave, which later he helped to fill Ln. Mr Noble: “Is there a caretaker at the Cemetery?”—“Yes, his residence is in the grounds at the top.” Mr Noble: “Do they lock the gates at night?”—“No.” Mr Noble: “Then anyone can come along in a car, snatch a body and run away with it?” —“Yes.” Mr Noble: “No one could stop him?” —“No.” Mr Noble: “What is the caretaker for?” —“Well, up till three years ago the gates were locked at night, but there were complaints about people being locked in and the sexton gave an order for the gates to remain open.” Mr Noble: “A person can come in in a car and go right round at dead of night?”—“Yes.” Re-examined by Mr Smith, witness said the caretaker’s residence was a little over half a mile from the main gates. (Earlier proceedings are reported on page 3.)