MAN AND WIFE DEAD

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21325, 19 November 1934, Page 12

MAN AND WIFE DEAD

TRAGEDY AT TOKOMARU BAY INDICATIONS OF MURDER AND SUICIDE (I-RBSS ASSOCIATION TBLEGBAM.) GISBORNE, November 17. Another tragedy on the East Coast, the second Within a few weeks, occurred this morning when a Maori apparently killed his wife at Tokomaru Bay and then committed suicide. The victims of this morning's tragedy were Mrs Hane Karauria, and her husband, Whare Karauria, both aged about 25. It is stated that Karauria had been depressed recently and his wife, becoming afraid, asked two married couples related to Karauria to live with them. Six adults and several children slept in one room. About 7.45 a.m. to-day Karauria and his wife, Lena Karauria, a sister of Karauria, and several children, were in the house, which is about a mile from the township. Mrs Karauria washed the breakfast dishes and then went into the bedroom, where her husband was. A few minutes later Lena Karauria heard sounds of scuffling in the room and saw Karauria trying to push his wife away. . Seeing that Karauria had a razor in his hand, Lena Karauria rushed to the assistance of her sister-in-law. She wrested the razor from him and then, fearing for the safety of the children, rushed into the garden with the two eldest. She then came back for the youngest child, who was lying in a cot. Lena then saw Mrs Karauria iying on the floor. She seized the youngest child and called out to her brother, Alexander Karauria, who was sitting on the verandah of a house about 150 yards away, and he rushed across. He found that Karauria had locked the front door of the house, and he climbed in through a window. He found Mrs Karauria deao. on the floor, and Karauria dying with a wound in his throat. He died a few seconds later. The indications are that Karauria was attempting to kill himself but was stopped by his wife. When the razor was taken from him he apparently seized a knife, killed his wife and then committed suicide.