AWAHURI SENSATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 95, 23 April 1926, Page 6

AWAHURI SENSATION.

SUTHERLAND SURRENDERS.

WHJ. GIVE NO MORE TROUBLE

MPS. SUTHERLAND RECOVERING x

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' PALMERSTON NORTH, this day. Ernest Taniwha Sutherland, the half, caste Maori who has been wanted by the police since February 10 on a chai- ee of attempted murder of his wife, Rangi Sutherland, at Awahuri, surrendered himself to the police at a late hour last evening after sending a message stating that he was to be found at a certain address in Palmerston North. He expressed his sorrow at what he had done and said he desired to give the police no further trouble. Sutherland appeared at the Police Court this morning on a charge of attempted murder and was remanded till April 30, with a prospect of a further remand. It will be remembered that oh the evening preceding the Awahuri incident, Sutherland was unsuccessful in per' suading his wife to cancel separation proceedings instituted by her. He then left the house of his father-in-law, Drummond, where his wife resided and about midnight Drummond awoke to find the bouse afire, the result of sacks soaked in kerosene being placed beneath it and set alight. Drummond told his wife, Mrs. Sutherland, and the latter'g three children to shelter in the shed while he tried to pull the sacks away to extinguish the blaze. Sutherland thea reappeared and allegedly struck Drummond with a garden implement. He lagain disappeared and then went to ■ the shed where the women and children were sheltering, and it is alleged inflicted a serious wound on the shoulder of his wife with a knife or axe, and made off. It was alleged that he was also responsible for injuries received by Mrs. Drummond who. quickly recovered. Mrs. Sutherland is still in hospital, but is now well on the road to recovery.