Stonehand For Trial On Charge Of Murder

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28758, 2 December 1958, Page 11

Stonehand For Trial On Charge Of Murder

(New Zealand Press Association)

WHANGAREI, December 1. After 15 prosecution witnesses had given evidence in the Magistrate's Court at Whangarei today, Wiremu Puanaki Nepier Tauiwl Ilemi Kiwikiwi, aged 23, single, a stonehand compositor, of Kamo road, Whangarei, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of murdering Raymond William Norton at a Whangarei hostel on October 31. Mr J. R. Herd, S.M., was on the Bench. Mr G. D. Speight (Auckland) appeared for the Crown and Mr J. S. Henry (Auckland) for Kiwikiwi. Bleeding which caused Norton’s death could have resulted from a severe blow on the back of his neck or severe blows to the head when the back of the neck was fixed in ope position an Auckland pathologist, Francis John Cairns, said in evidence.

Cairns said he had examined Kiwikiwi on October 31. On the knuckle of the right index finger and on the left index finger were recent superficial abrasions. There were no other marks of external violence.

Cairns said he performed a postmortem examination on Norton and found small superficial abrasions on his face and chest. He considered that the chest marks could have been caused by attempts at artificial respiration. A dislocation between the top of the spine and the base of the skull had caused the rupture of blood vessels. He considered that pressure from this bleeding on the brain and spinal cord had caused Norton’s death. “Fight Like A Man” Pegy Patricia Kuha,. who was living in the hostel on the night of the tragedy, said she could hear Kiwikiwi barging around in the kitchen. She was wakened up by loud talking between Bert Martin and Kiwikiwi. She heard a scream and she knew it came from Norton. She said she could hear Kiwikiwi saying: “Fight like a man.” Two of her sisters climbed out the window to call the police. She went to the room and saw Kiwikiwi kneeling on Norton’s stomach with his hands around Norton’s throat. Norton was not fighting back. Jane Kuha, a cook, said that on the previous night Kiwikiwi had attended a film. He returned saying the police were his friends and that the blacks always defeated the whites in a fight. When she heard fighting the next night she looked into Norton’s room. Kiwikiwi was sitting on Norton’s chest. Kiwikiwi had him by the throat and was punching his face and head. Kiwikiwi was saying: “Out with it you white b . . .” “Became Unbalanced” Ailsa Patricia Kuha, the hostel housekeeper said Kiwikiwi’s behaviour appeared normal at first, but later she thought he had become “mentally unbalanced.” On the night of October 31 she got out of bed and saw Kiwikiwi with his knees on Norton’s stomach and one hand around Norton’s throat. He was pounding Norton with his free hand. The blows had continued for more than 30 minutes. Norton had been in bed throughout. David lan Martin, a labourer, who had shared a room with Kiwikiwi, said he had been awakened by a yell. He saw Kikikiwi hit Norton twice and say, “Get up and fight.” Kiwikiwi then felt Norton, who was dead.

Bert Henry Martin, a driver, who also shared the room, said he had been awakened by Kiwikiwi, who said that Richard Wharerau, who also slept in the room, was missing. Martin and Kiwikiwi searched the house, Kiwikiwi carrying a pair of scissors and a torch. Martin said he returned to bed, and was again wakened later. Norton was in bed, apparently asleep. Kiwikiwi said: “Harry, don’t pretend you are asleep.” He then punched Norton and told him to get up and fight. Kiwikiwi punched on for 15 or more minutes and then said it was too late as Norton was dead. He said: “I didn’t think I could go that bad.”

Martin said he had not tried to itop Kiwikiwi because “I did not want to get in for it.”

Matthew Balmans Marshall, a doctor, said Kiwikiwi had been his patient since September, 1957.

On the evening of October 30, Kiwikiwi had called about 7 p.m. and asked for a prescription for his back. There was nothing unusual about Kiwikiwi’s behaviour, but as he was leaving he said: “There is someone over there trying to poison me. I’ve got pains in my stomach.” He then walked" off. Marshall said Kiwikiwi’s behaviour had never made him think he was deranged. Donald Ross Taylor, a police constable, said that when he went to the hostel at 2.45 a.m., he found Kiwikiwi kneeling on Norton’s chest. Kiwi kiwi said he was trying artificial respiration. Alleged Statement Senior Detective - Sergeant Malcolm John Ross said he had told Kiwikiwi that he might be charged with causing Norton’s death. Kiwikiwi replied that he wanted to tell his side of the story. In a signed statement he said he had been worried about his work and had felt on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He had had to fight for his rights in Whangarei. He had a suspicion that he was being doped, and that at the hostel people were leaving poison about to interfere with the food. He had taken scissors to the pictures because he had felt that someone was going to mob hitn. He later decided to use his fists if necessary. He had seen the picture “A Man Is 10 Feet Tall.” Returning to the hostel he locked all the windows and doors, and collected screwdrivers, razor blades and similar articles likely to cause harm to the occupants.

Kiwikiwi said he had warned Norton not to let anyone in the house. Later he found that the window at the head of his bed had been unlatched. He thought Norton had exchanged Morse signals with someone outside, the statement said. Kiwikiwi said he saw Norton’s eyes blink and said: “Face me like a man and take it from the shoulder.” He told Norton he wanted the truth. Norton said he had not opened the window. “I told him I would cripple him just like me so he could see how it felt to be like me,” Kiwikiwi said.

He said he had hit Norton three times, and told him to sleep like a man. Norton hit his tongue and swallowed his false teeth. Kiwikiwi tried unsuccessfully to retrieve them. He had not meant to kill Norton, but only to make him unconscious.

Kiwikiwi said he began artificial respiration, and breathed down Norton’s throat. Norton started to get warm, the statement said. Detective-Sergeant Ross said that later in the morning he told Kiwikiwi he was being arrested on a charge of murdering Norton. Kiwikiwi had replied: “Thank you. I said I would serve my time for it if I had to.”