CHARGE OF MURDER

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 245, 14 October 1918, Page 2

CHARGE OF MURDER

AGAINST DARGAVIELE MAORI, j I .-WEI. TO Wll'K'S DEATH. A half caste Maori named Edward ! Campbell, or Kruini l-'iSi, who has been , for it month under observation at the t Auckland Mental Hospital, was charged * before Mr. K. <'. CuUcn, 5.M... to-day. , that at Dargaville, on or about duly 19, . he murdered his wife, Rongopai Keniara. ' tin the application of Ohief-Detective i . McMahon the accused was remanded i for a week. The accused is a hall"-<-a*te. and his wife ivas a full-blooded Maori. They lived at the native settlement at Oruariki. about three miles from Dargaville, ami on July in the woman disappeared, and on search being made her body was ; found in the Wairoa River at l>.irgaville. Campbell and his wife were seen . on .July 10 jT'iinjr from Darjraville to the settlement, but later Campbell came back to Dargaville. anel said his wife had gone on home. He went with some other natives to a concert, and went back to the settlement with them after the concert. It was then discovered I:hat Mrs. Campbell was not. at home. A search was made for hor, and two day,later her body was found floating beside Mount Wesley wharf, ai Dargaville. On the evidence adduced at the inquest a I finding: of suicide was made by the Coroner, but rumours bep-an to spread Iseeause of C-ampboll's Inrhaviour when the tangi and funeral were held. He disappeared, but was found by some friends, who took him to a native settlement at I'irarau. about live miles from Ruawai. On ai-oount of his depressed condition the natives communicated with Constable Boas, of Manngaturoto. who hud the man committed last month to the Mental Hospital for observation. In the meantime Detective Sweeney. of ! Auckland, was detailed to investigate ! the circumstances of i.he death of \ Ronjropai Keniara. or Mrs. Campbell, witli the result that •when her husband was dUw-harjrod from the hospital to-day as not being of unsound mind, be was arrested on the charge of murder.