The Recent Murder Case.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 507, 16 September 1890, Page 3

The Recent Murder Case.

WHAT THE.NATIVEB THINK.

The natives in the neighborhood of Whatatutu are greatly incensed—and justly, too, it would seem—at the imputation which has been cast upon them in connection with the murder case. Some of them bitterly resent the insinuation thrown out by the verdict of the Auckland jury,, that the murder, not having been committed by the man arrested, must therefore be laid against some of the natives. Of course they do not clearly understand that in such a case anything that will raise doubts may fairly be submitted to a jury, and they only see the one point that the verdict, in the minds of outsiders, must cast suspicion against the natives. Rutene informs us that when he returns to the settlement a meeting of the natives is to be held to consider the evidence given in the Supreme Court, and generally to conversationally traverse the whole affair. It is probable that the

natives will then decide upon making some communication with Government, with the object of having the affair cleared up so far as they are concerned. BLACK’S RETURN. Black returned by the steamer yesterday morning. He is greatly improved in appearance, and looks none the worse for his having been in a state of insensibility for two hours after the return of the Jury. It is understood that he only comes back to get his affairs arranged, and Jhgt he will then quit the district.

“NOT PROVEN." Mr Edward Waite writes as follaws to the Auckland Herald Sih,—-The murder case just concluded shows the necessity for an alteration in our criminal law, At present a jury can only bring in a verdict of guilty or not guilty. It frequently happens that only circumstantial evidence can be produced. However convinced, a jury may be of the guilt of an accused person, unless the evidence is sufficient to sheet the charge home to him, the jury must find a verdict of not guilty, or take the responsibility of perhaps convicting anlnnocent man. How much better it would be in such cases for a jury to be able to find a verdict of “ not proven," as allowed in the Scotch Courts, so that if fresh and, important evidence was forthcoming the case could be brought tap again. ’