RUA'S WIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 6

RUA'S WIVES.

ANOTHER GIVES EVIDENCE. IAT SUPREME COURT TRIAL. rWENTY-FIKSI DAY OF HEARING. The wheels of justice continue to revolve slowly in the case of Rua Hepetipa, who is standing his trial at the Supreme Court, before his Honor Mr. Justice Chapman and a jury, on eight charges of sedition, counselling to murder, etc., etc. -Tins was the tvventy-fir.it day of tlie trial, ami eight or nine mors witnesses have to be willed. There never wuu such a protracted trial, at least in New Zealand. The whole of to-day's session—up to the afternoon adjournment—was taken up with the examination of another -pleasant-faced wahine, who has the honour to lie a spouse of Kua.. the connoisseur in wives. The Hon. J-. A. Tole. K.C., is prosecuting, and Mr. •I. cv. l.uiidon is corn!UJ'tniij the case for tlie defence, while the official interpreter is Mr. (i. A. Hansard. HOW THE BUTCHER RAN. In the course of -his cross-examination Te Kaumarua. the butcher at Rua's pa, was asked a number of questions about the songs suns there, and in answer to a query ac to whether European songs were use.l. lie asked. -Wei!, you know 'Tipperary,' don"t you':" (General In lighter.) Mr. Tole: How do you know it is called "Tipperary" , ;— I have heard it sung. What other European songs were sung?—l do not know their names. How long have tlie natives been singing "Tipperary''?—For some time. In answer to questions as to his conduct in the face of the police, the witness said that he ran away from them but did not get shot at because he got under cover too quickly. The police called to him to came towards them, but at the same time they took the guns from their backs. Mc was sure that thej wanted him to come closer In order thai they might shoot him. His wife was with him. and they lied tog-ether. Th( police chased them about five chains and in t'lis chase he outstripped his wif< am! left her behin.l. (Laughter.) Hi was not afaid that the police wouh shoot at his wife, because he understooi that in big battles the pakehas did no: shoot down women and children. Hi had seen tlie police shooting at Toko and he was sure that as he was a Maor they would try to shoot him also. Hi was unarmed, and had never owned i gun. TESTS IX ENGLISH. Mr. Lundon devoted hie re-examina-tion of the witness to attempting to test the witness' knowledge of English by asking him to pronounce certain English words. His Honor remarked at once that any such tests were quite useless; the only tiling to do was to call someone else to testify on the point. Tlie witness, on being pressed, was persuaded to say '"Church" (the name of a former employer of his) and "soldier," but an effort to get him to say "Tipperarv' , again proved a failure. Mr. Tole protested several times that certain English sounds did not occur in Maori. "They can't pronounce t,' for instance," he said; "they nave to use T' instead, as in trying to pronounce my name." Mr. Lundon: Do you say that they can't pronounce my name? Mr. Tole: "Lundon' 'isn't English; it's Irish. (Laughter.) A STAUNCH WIFE. The next witness was Te Akaura, one of Hua s wives, a good-looking woman of about thirty, with a clear ■ olive complexion and slight tattooing on her chin. She elected to give her evidence in English, of which she seemed to have a fair knowledge. Describing the interview between Kua, Sergeant Cummings. and Constable Grant, she said that Rua told the police that he was ready to come with them if they could give him a jrood reason for lib arrest. He spoke to them a little in English, which he did nob know as well as she did. At this point the witness appeared to find the English of Mr. Lundon's questions a little beyond her, and the interpreter had to be called in again after his brief respite. The witness gave a description of the interview at Wai-iti and the occurrences at the arrest of Rua, her version beins; similar to that of the earlier native witnesses. Cross-examined by Mr. Tole, witness ■said she could not speak the language of the pakeha very well, but finally admitted having attended school for twelve months and ha.ving learnt to write English. When Rua married her enrht years ago she was a widow. Since then she 'had had four children. Witness would, not nay that she v/ae Rua's favourite wife. He treated them all alike. Re- j ferring to the visit to Wai-iti in February last of Sergeant Cummings and District Constable Grant, witness said that Kua invited them to hare breakfast -with his people, which they did. After- ] wards they wanted Rua to go with; ! them, but lie said he would not. Crossing his wrists and putting out his hands he said, "Come, and take mc." RCA WAS WILLING. Mr. Tole: Did you understand that he was willing to go? —Yes. But you have already told us that be I would not go because he did not know why they wanted him?— Yes. Why did lie not go?—He was desirous that they should remove him by force. I And then what 'Would have happened t —Well, that would have been the performance of their duty after they said they would put handcuffs on Rua. I lion't you know very wel! that they were afraid to take him because there would ha-ve been violence?—l don't know why they should have been frightened. You are the only witness who has | mentioned the word " ihand-euff." Did the police say they would handcuff Kua? —Yes. Do you know that no other witness haß said eo?—But there are others to come. Who olse heard it?— Witness mentioned the names of two Maoris. ■ Will they say so? —Yes. Are you stopping wrth the other wit- • nesses in Auckland? —I am stopping at ' the house of a European. ' Have you been at the Maori hostel when the natives have talked about the caS e ?—Yes. ALLEGED LOSS OF HONEY. Under further cross-examination, witness admitted having heaTd that Constable Keeps, had searched for money which was alleged to have been missed from a locked box during the visit ot the police. Keepa gave witness the balt ance that remained in the rifled box (a d sum -of abo Tit £3). Speaking of the en>f closure in which Toko Rua and Te Maipi c tvere shot, witness said that the natives had "not since been, in there. "Wβ a.-™

somewhat frightened." she added, '"otitic blood of our relatives spilt tlier-aan." j Since the big bouse had been broken j into by the polite it. had remained likej that. Witness was on the embankment i when she heard the first shot. It was 1 fired by a constable on a black horse. \ Witness identified Skiner sis the man who tired the revolver at Rua while the hitter was lying on the "round under arrent. Subsequently a party or policemen—at least ten—came to RuuV bouse and asked if there were any men there. Witness and other women said there were not. Tlw police then ealle.l to the women to come out of the house, saving. "If vim don't come \vr will shoot you."' The witness said this in English,j and at the suggestion of Mr. Tole she| j continued to talk softly in English with I occasional protests that she •votili! not 'speak Eitglieh mucii." Witness sa-id that I the policemen took the women down to, J the mar jo at the point of their guns, i some walking behind them and others at J the sides. I Mr. Tole: Were you very frightened?— Yes. very frightened. Each cne of those men presented his gun?— Yes. XO TUITION* NEEDED. Mr. Tole was endeavouring- to test the accuracy of the statements made by the witness concerning the alleged shooting of Toko Una when Mr. Uindon thrice interjected, "She did not say that." Mr. Tole objected that the witness was being prompted. His HonoT (reprovingly): The witness must answer for hereelf. She is quite I capable of answering in English, an;' there is no necessity for special tuition. Mr. Lundon rose to make an observation. His Honor ((irmly): The witness must be allowed to speak for hereelf. It is \ critical stage, and we do not want any coaching. Mr. Lundon said there was no suggestion of coachim- Might he not ask that the questions be put in Maori? His Honor (with emphasis): No. 1 prefer that she shall answer. She understands English perfectly well. Thu witness (softly): 1 don't km>w much English. His Honor (in friendly tones): Just take your time and answer the question as it is put. Witness did her best in English until the end of Mr. Tole's cross-examination. Mr. Lundon. on rising to re-examiue. intimated that he deeired his questions to be put in Maori, and the interpreter was'recalled. I At 1 p.m. the Court adjourned until I Monday at !U.;iU a.m.