MAORI DEAD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 254, 27 October 1942, Page 4

MAORI DEAD

ALLEGED AFFRAY CONSTABLES INJURED (0.C.) ROTORUA, this day. As the result of injuries which he ■sustained in an affair which happened at the Waiotapu Forestry Camp, about 20 miles from Rotorua, yesterday afternoon, a Maori died in the Rotorua Hospital this morning. He was:— Rahu Reihana, aged 30, o£ Taupo. A second Maori, Ken Reihana, aged 24, a brother of Rahu, is in hospital, as also is Constable G. W. Kilgour. The latter is suffering from facial Injuries and concussion. Two Rotorua police constables were injured yesterday afternoon when an unprovoked assault was allegedly made on them in the course of their duties at Waiotapu. Constable Kilgour is in the Rotorua Hosgital suffering from concussion, while onstable G. A. Morley received treatment for injuries which are less severe.

A call was made to the police during the afternoon by the manager of the Waiotapu Forestry Camp, in connection with a dispute about the occupation of a hut. In the belief that the dispute was a minor affair, Constable Kilgour, accompanied by Constable Morley, who has recently been transferred from Auckland, was dispatched to deal with the matter. On arrival they were allegedly attacked and assaulted by a number of Maoris.

The police at Rotorua were immediately informed and Inspector E. J. Carroll, with Detective-Sergeant A. J. White, and a party of constables and members of the Army Provost Corps, went to the scene. They found those responsible for the disturbance armed with batons.