THE MAORI WOMAN SCALDED TO DEATH AT ROTORUA.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1498, 28 November 1874, Page 2

THE MAORI WOMAN SCALDED TO DEATH AT ROTORUA.

(From Our Maketu CoitRESPONDENT.) At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Maketu, on November 18, 1874, before F. K. Hamlin, Esq., R.M., Mr. Thomas Bennett was charged by Isaac Wilson, of Ohinemutu, hotelkeeper, with a breach of the Licensing Act, 1871, inasmuch as he did "abandon the occupation of his licensed house as his usual place of residence for more than thirty, consecutive days."—The defendant pleaded ignorance, but at the same time admitted the chargeJudgment waß deferred until the next case was gone on with.—At the close of that, the Magistrate said ho had no alternative but to cancel Mr. Bennett's liaense. —The next case was as follows :-Thomas Bennett was again charged, on the information of Hone Werahiko, with a breach of the Licensing Act for supplying certain quantities of alcoholic liquors to Arihia Hone, her mental and physical faculties being at that time affected by alcoholic liquors. The defendant pleaded not guilty. —Mr. Sub-Inspector Naden conducted the case on behalf of the prosecution. —Hone Werahiko, sworn, stated : Arihia was my wife. On the Ist September, 1574, I accompanied her to Bennett's. 1 left her about i) o'clock a.m. in defendant's house. I subsequently learned that about 10 o'clock a m. of that day she was scalded in a boiling spring at Ohinemutu, and died in consequence. She and I went to the Rotorua Hotel. I had three glasses of rum, and left.—Mita Mekai, Bworn, stated : Arihia used to live at Ohinemutu. On or about the 2nd of September, 1874, she was scalded in a boiling sprint., at Ohinemutu, called " Waikite." She came to Morrisson's hotel, the place where I was employed as cook. She was sober when she came, but drunk when she left. I saw her drink six glasses, and I gave her the seventh. She was drunk then. When she left I s;«,w she was very drunk, and I predicted she I would fall into a boiling spring. If she had not taken the seventh, I believe no accident would have happened. The house I call Morrisson's is the property of the defendant. —Cross-examined by defendant: Arihia paid for all. Nobody had any money but her. I drank six glasses, Arihia had seven, Taro had four, Mihikorama had perhaps six, Pererika had three. I got drunk and went to bed, and could not cook. —Taro Mekai corroborated the evidence of Mita. Arihia was scalded, and placed in the hands of the Maori doctors. Their decision was that her death arose from scalding and witchcraft. —The evidence of the next witness, John Murphy, of Tauranga, was unimportant. — Mr. A Horn, V.S., testified that he saw Arihia go to the Rotorua Hotel sober, and leave it drunk ; that he made use of this remark to Te Matatu, "That he had often seen Arihia drunk before, but never saw her in such a state that she could not keep her legs."—The Court then adjourned until Monday, the 30th instant.