TAH KAKA TO DIE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 137, 10 June 1911, Page 5

TAH KAKA TO DIE.

CABINET APPROVES DEATH SENTENCE, A CALLOUS MURDER. '' (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Executive Council this morning decided that the death sentence on Tabi Xaka should be carried out.

On April 20th Kaka was arrested at Kaikohe on a charge of having murdered a gumdigger named John Freeman. Freeman had been missing from his whare at Puliipuhi. near Whangarei, since April 5, and at the time of the disappearance he was in possession of a considerable sum of money. Kaka was the last man seen in Freeman's company, and subsequently bad been spending money freely. The body of the murdered man was found in a deep gorge to which the prisoner directed the police. Accused had made certain statements from which it appears that he demanded money from Freeman, and wanted to fight. Freeman made a sweep at Kaka with his gum spear, but missed him. aud stumbled, whereupon Kaka hit him a violent blow on the head with a broom handle, and as the old man attempted to defend himself Kaka struck him again, smashing the base of his skull. Kaka then, it is alleged, abstracted the sum of £40 odd from Freeman's porket, and proceeded to spend money lavishly, which led to suspicion and to his arrest.

INTELLIGENT AND INDIFFERENT. All through the trial both in the. lower and higher courts, Kaka's demeanour was that of an utterly callous individual. At the. Supreme Court the accused answered

"Not Ciuilty" in clear and good English when the charge was rend over to him, and he did not show any sign of being affected by the seriousness of the crime with whir'h he was charged. He looked intelligent enough, and has a pleasant countenance ior a native, with nakedly boyish features, a heavy shork of black curly hair parted in the c»ntre, and a body not yet developed. He was well dressed, and wore a whit? collar and liffht waisvoat. On his general hearing one would hesitate about regarding hira as an active participant, single-handed to boot, in sur-h a rrrim traiedv as that which it was alleged he had committed In the wild desolate, country around Puiiipuhi. "VERY BAH BUSINESS." Neither when the jury's verdict was announced nor when prisoner was asked if he had anything to say why the sentence of death should be passed upon him. did Kaka show- the slightest trace of feeling, and remained silent and unmoved.

Assuming the black can. his Honor solemnly pronounci-d rle ; uh* in the statutory form: " You shall be taken to the gallows, and there hung by the nevk till yon are dead."

" Very bad business." somewhat casualIv remarked the condemned youth to his attendants when he got below. "Yes very bad for you." was tbe rejoinder!

"When will you hang mc?" further inquired the prisoner, and when it was explained to him that the recommendation of mercy had yet to be considered, and might possibly result in the death sentence being commuted. Kaka showed signs of animation and surprise, in place of the silent indifTeren"e that he exhibited throughout the trial. KAKA UNMOVED. When Kaka was informed that the extreme sentence would be carried into effect, his cool demeanour did not alter in the slightest, he received the news with the calm indifference characteristic of his attitude during the progress of the case at the Supreme Court! THE LAST HANGING CASE. The last occasion on which a man was hanged in Mt. Eden Gaol was IS years ago. when Scott paid the death penalty in connection with the Waitafcerei murder. \