BUSHMAN FOR TRIAL

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28491, 22 January 1958, Page 9

BUSHMAN FOR TRIAL

Alleged Murder Of Girl (New Zealand Press Association) WHAKATANE, Jan. 21. A Maori bushman, Dan Donovan Ruahuihui, aged 29. single, was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for trial when he appeared in the Whakatane Magistrate's Court yesterday, charged with the murder at Otakiri, on January 8, of Margaret Waretini, aged 18. The evidence of two witnesses was taken at Whakatane Hospital where they were patients as the result of recent accidents. Most of the evidence given concerned a party held at a house at Otakiri, near Te Teko, on the night of January 7. Accused was alleged to have gone to bed at between six and seven o’clock in the evening and awakened some time before midnight to And Waretini and a young man missing from the house. Accused was said to have searched for them and afterwards to have struck Joe Hohua, who admitted having been outside with the young woman. Describing the party, Hohua said in evidence that Waretini had been drunk. He added: "Some of the others in the party were drunk and some were halfdrunk. I don’t think anyone stayed sober.” On the Bench were Messrs L. Forbes and R. Riddell. J.P.’s. Mr G. D. Speight, Crown .Prosecutor at Auckland, concluded the case for the policp. Accused was reprssented by; Mr M. f. Chilwell (Auckland) and Mr J. D. Buddle (Whakatane);