BLOWS WITH SPADE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 114, 7 February 1935, Page 10

BLOWS WITH SPADE

Crown Case in Murder Charge

DEATH OF MAORI

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Auckland, February 6. Tlie trial of Puliipi Riwhi on a charge of murder began tb-day before Mr. Justice Fair and a jury. Riwhi. aged 33, also known as Busby Leaf, is charged with murdering his cousin, Henare Riwhi, whose European name was Henry Leaf, at a village 20 miles from Rawene. North Auckland. Tlie Crown prosecutor, Mr. V. 11. Meredith, said there had been a considerable amount of trouble between the two and their families over the placing of stock in a pad dock. At midday on September 24 accused went to his brother-in-law. Walter Iraia, and attacked him with his fists, but stumbled, and was struck by Iraia with a bridle. Iraia ran, and the accused called out, threatening to . kill him if be caught him. Accused then went to the paddock and drove the cattle off the property. Other Natives, including Henry Leaf, arrived, and the latter went to open a gate with the intention of putting the cattle back. He saw accused approaching with a spade. Henry Leaf went towards him and was going to “get right into” accused. However, accused struck Henry on the bead with the spade. It was not thought at tlie time that the injury would be fatal, even though there was a fracture of the skull and an arm was broken, but after two days gas gangrene infection, which was usually fatal, was detected in the arm. It was amputated, but the poison spread and the man died. It was gangrene that really caused death. Intervention of Gangrene. The prosecutor said it seemed clear that two savage blows were struck, one on the head and the other on the arm. and that accused was reckless whether they caused death or not. It was open for the jury, however, to bring iu a verdict of manslaughter, yet it seemed difficult to see how sudden provocation could be pleaded. Admittedly, there had been ill feeling, but the provocation appeared to have come from accused.

Dr. G. M. Smith, in charge of the Rawene Hospital, said when deceased was admitted his general condition was quite good from a surgical point of view. The day before his death however, signs of gas gangrene were found in deceased’s right arm. Although an operation was performed, deceased died early on the morning of September 27 the direct cause of death being poisoning from infection of gas gangrene. " To Mr. Trimmer (for accused) witness said in all probability deceased would have recovered from the wound on tlie head. The intervention of gas gangrene was a piece of bad luck for all parties concerned. The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow. ,