COOK ISLANDS TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1099, 11 April 1911, Page 5

COOK ISLANDS TRAGEDY.

SHOOTING OF A NATIVE,

News to hand from Rarotonga raves further particulars of the shooting of tho native More on Sunday, March 12. From tho evidence taken at the inquiry held by the acting-medical officer, Dr. Story, it appears that on tho date in question a number of Europeans and natives were at tho plantation of a settler named _ Wigmore, who resides at the southern side of the island. Wigmore, it was stated by tho witnesses and \v Wigmore himself, obtained a shotgun in order to shoot a fowl for food, but the cartridge jammed in the gun, and he had to take a rifle instead. Ho went outside the house near which tho native More was dancing, and when walking in the direction of More the riflo slipped. Wigmore states that in grasping at the weapon to stop it from falling his finger slipped into the trigger-guard and the pressure an tho trigger caused tho hammer to fall, with the result that More was shot dead. Other witnesses corroborated Wigmore's story. The witnesses were all questioned as to whether Wigmore was sober or not at the time of the accident, and all declared that lie was. Dr. Story, as the result of the inquiry, returned a verdict of accidental death.

Somo of Hie natives—relatives of Mora —were dissatisfied with Hie procedure of the inquiry, and it is stated that tliey threatened trouble, but were induced to lay their grievances before the Island missionary, the Rev. Mr. .Tames, who promised to present their statements to the proper quarter. The methods mil-sued in connection with iha inquiry will probably, be laid before the authorities in Wo* 1 lington.