HAWERA MURDER

TRAGIC FATE OF HINDU.

NO ARREST YET MADE.

FURTHER DETAILS OF CRIME

WOMAN'S DRAMATIC STORY. (By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent.) HAWERA, this day. No arrest has yet been made in connection with the murder of Nana Chhiba, the Hindu, commonly known as David, who was found dead in his fruiterer's shop in High Street, Hawera, on Sunday evening. The dead man, who had been terribly wounded with a tomahawk, was a married man, with one child. His wife lives in India. David had been struck five times or ,nore with the tomahawk, which.had probablv been used for opening fruit cases. One significant fact is that the weapon used to commit the brutal murder had been washed to remove incnmiratine evidence." David was fully clad, bud lav on his back in the centre of a room at the' rear of his premises. His feet were towards the wall. Ihe •wounds, being at the back of the head, suggest an attack from behind. Discovery of Crime. Evidentlv some perspn other than David was'on the premises until shortly before eleven o'clock on Sunday night, for the police inspected the doors of the premises up till then at intervals after they had been informed, at about 7 p.m., that a rcrinie of some kind was suspected. .A constable made investigations after 7 -p.m., and found nothing amiss externally. Both doors were locked. After 9 p.m. the same constable, together with an all-night constable, again, inspected the premises. _ Everything again appeared to be in order. The'lights were burning at 11 p.m., however,' and the constable fouiid the hack door open. The crime was then discovered. . The lights were still burning. Another indication of movement in the shop was furnished by the' statement of a woman living nearby, who visited the premises at 0.45 o'clock on Sunday night, and saw the dooir ajar, and the lights burning.' The woman believed that a sound she heard waß the sizzling of a frying pan. She was acquainted' with the deceased, and had wished to purchase sorne tomatoes. She called out: "David," but there was no reply. Approaching closer, the woman glanced up a passage leading from the hack door'to.another room. Blood-stained Hand. She saw in the gloom a hand protruding from a' huddled form, covered in blood. Although she became hysterical, she did-not-then sense a tragedy.- It occurred to her to ring David's legal adviser. .The police were informed, but the .doors: were- found- to be shut,; and rcpeated'knoeking brought no response. The woman later -telephoned that the lights wete,, still burning.'.....-, v 1 .... . David-is.reputed to have been a man of financial means He had been in business in Hawera for about 15 years. He visited India in 1927, and had contemplated making another visit in the near future, • ■ -' -. Detectives Meiklejohn and Kearney are engaged on the case. A 'dramatic story is told by "the woman who discovered- the crime. "My family and I fancied tomatoes for tea," she said. "I went to the back of David's shop and found the door slightly ajar. The'lights were burning, and I noticed that the gas heater was alight. : I called to' David, and thought it strange that he did not answer. I then glanced through the doorway, and a few feet inside could see What appeared to be a blood-stained. hand protruding from, a huddled'.heap. ~V.' "Door Slammed Violently.", "I was'scared almost to hysterics, but even then, I did ;npt«" realise that a tragedy .had! occurred. My' first- thought -was to/rush and fell 'someone.- : --"I/hall turned to -run away,.-; when 'the'dooi slammed violently behind 'me'. r . ;-I an positive of that, and I, was mor< frightened' than, .even.'- I ...rah, J across..! tarpaulin-coyeredyard, where : Mr."Dayic used to store •fruit."'- '"• ; '■' In the yard the woman noticed t large tin basin full of water, in whiel was a hammer and a tomahawk. Al though she is uncertain of the fact, 6h< thinks the water' was clean! Reaching her hdme, not far away, she told he: story to her family and a visitor. "Thei would, not believe me," she added. ". told tliein thai; I had thought it was i pig I had seen on but.l wai positive I -had : seen a human hand Then one of them "suggested that '. might .have intruded upon some sor of religious observance of, the Hindus I was scared and worried almost out o :iny wits, and no one would believe thai anything serious had happened. . No Answer to Telephone Call. _ "The lights we're still burning in tin shop, and I telephoned David's adviser who informed the police. Previously, '. had telephoned- David's shop, and I re ceived no' answer. That made me more convinced than ever that something was really wrong. At nine o'clock ] saw that the lights were still burning but I knew that the police had beer informed. I did not sleep a wink al night, but I had no knowledge of whai had actually happened until this morning. I, never want another experienct like it." '' --,■:,