OXFORD MANSLAUGHTER CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1499, 11 February 1882, Page 2

OXFORD MANSLAUGHTER CASE.

The proceedings in this case, at theR.M Court, Cambridge, terminated on Thursday morning last. The following is a resume of the remainder of the evidence taken on Wednesday. — Constable John Webb deposed that from information he received at Oxford on 1 the day of the murder he watched the prisoner Mikaere, previous'tohis arrest, and. on going«over I close to where he was he observed him 1 to obliterate some blood stains on his trousers with his hands. --Constable George Hastie.deposed^tpjiayjbg arrested the prisoner at Oxford on the charge of murder, and that while the prisoner was in his custody a Maori woman riifcbfid at him (prisoner) and struck him|Bn the nose, causing' it- to bleed. He searched him but found nothing on him but money. Subsequently brought him into Cambridge and handed him "over to the police. •^—Constable P. J: Eitzpatnck, deposed .to having arrested the other accused, Peina, who wag in a very , drunken state, on the same evening- at Oxford. Immediately searched him and found nothing but silver on him. Saw the prisoner had blood on his mouth and shirt breast. Constable William Brennan deposed 1 to 1 having received both prisoners in custody at, Cambridge, at 12 midnight, on the 26th of December. Entered the charges against both prisoners, and readi them i over >to them. Examined prisoners, and, found blood stains on both. Had them subsequently locked up. Next' morning a knife blade was'found in Mikaere's,bfonkets, (blade produced). Re-arrested accused under . warrant in, Auckland ftfter being discharged at the Supreme Court, on 12th of January last, on the charge of manslaughter. — Te Peina .brother of deceased deposed that the kriife Wade produced was not his property, and that in company with the constable he saw the knife blade (produced), fall from the blankets in which- Mikaere had been lying. Laurence Dpolan, detective in the Armed Constabulary, deposed £that from information he received he proceeded to Oxford on the morning of the 27th. Left the hotel there at 7. 30 for- the scene of the murder, and the- spot where the body fell pointed out to him by some natives.' Pound a great patch of on the ground, and marked same. The distance from the' bloodstain to the booth was 47 paces. He then searched the vicinity for a knife, which he was not successful in finding. By Mr.Whitaker : Never thought of taking some of the ground or grass, on which the blood was, to have it analysed. By the Court : Was first of civil police on the ground after the murder, Did not get the clothes the deceased had been wearing and did not demand same from natives. This closed the case for the? prosecution. The depositions were then read over to the prisoner, and the case adjourned until the following morning.— At f^he opening of the Court on Thursday morning, Mr Whitaker, on behalf of Mikaere, said he would reserve his defence until the accused was brought before twelve of his countrymen at the Supreme Court, at its next sitting. Though the evidence tor the prosecution was exceedingly direct, he did not wish to leave, an impression on the public mind that his client was in any way guilty of the offence ; but the evidence which he intended to produce for the defence of the accused, he would reserve until he was put on his trial at the Supreme Court. — The accused was then formally com« mitted to take his trial at the next; sitting of the Supreme Court, to be, holden in Auckland in April next. The Crown Prosecutor offering no objection, bail was allowed as before, the same sureties being accepted.

The Other Accused, Peina Te Kere was then placed in the dock, and charged with that he did, on the 26th December last, at Oxford,, feloniously and unlawfully kill and slay one Hoani Te Kere. — Mr Hesketh with Mr Brassey, appeared on behalf of the accused, and Mi" Whitaker for the prosecution. Mr Whitaker said he did not propose to offer any evidence in the case at present, and would explain to the Oourt his reason for not doing- so. In proceeding then with the prosecution of Peina, a great deal of the evidence which would be produced for the defence of Mikaere at the Supreme Court would have to be brought forward, and they would this be obliged to disclose their defence. He wished the Bench to understand that it was not because they could not substantiate the charge preferred against the accused, or that they thought he was not guilty of the offence, that they abandoned the prosecution for the present. The evidence necessary for the pi-osecution of Peina was the same aa would be produced for the defence of Mikaere, and he thought it was not judicious to" disclose that evidence. — Mr Hesketh applied to have Peina discharged there being no evinence forthcoming against him. Accused wan accordingly discharged.