Burned to Death.

Bush Advocate, Volume IX, Issue 795, 22 June 1893, Page 2

Burned to Death.

A TAHORAITE NATIVE LOSES HIS LIFE. •• This morninjj a • native' from Tahoraite came into town and informed Mr McPhee that a native had been burned to death at the pah last, evening, and that tho natives were preparing to inter hia remains. Mr McPhee conveyed the information to Constable Lawliss, who went out to the pah and found that 4he Maori's' 'statements were true. The deceased, yarned Hoera, was atout 100 years of age, was a cripple, and unable to attend to himself. He was the sole occupant of a small slab whare, and was' looked 'after by some Maori women living in an adjoining hiit. At about 'B o'clock last evening the whare occupied by deceased was seen to be in flames, and when the other natives arrived on the spot the fire had gofc too strong a hold to allow ■ of 1 any attenipt being made to reseue'Hoera. Water was oarried from a distance and thrown ' onto the ' burning whare, but to no purpose, and the poor cripple had to be left to >■ meet his fate. When the fire had burned low enough \o allow, of his remains being recovered, ' his heaa and trunk were dragged - out of the ember3,;Vand; were' 1 found to be so chaired * 8 . , , fc> he beyond recognition. The** origin of the fire is unknown. A fire waß generally kept burning oh the floor of the whare, and it is thought that the poor old Maori's - bedding»was ignited by the fire, and. he* was helpless to. 'save himself^! The Maoris had gathered the remains into a zinc cane. and were: about to bury them, but the. intermeot^'was postponed in case of an inquest being considered necessary. Constable Lawliss wired to the Coroner this mining, bus,h{y pq^reoeived a reply at time of going to press.