ALLEGED ASSAULT ON WIFE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 110, 3 February 1938, Page 19

ALLEGED ASSAULT ON WIFE

* Charge Against Maori Dominion Special Service. Waipawa, February 2. In the Magistrates’ Court, Waipawa, before Messrs. W. I. Limbrick and 1. Adeane, J.P.’s, a Native, Martin Wharewhiti, laboured, Pukehou, was charged with assaulting Hiromina Wharewhiti so as to cause actual bodily harm at Pukehou on January 9 and with stealing a double-barrelled shotgun, valued at £5, the property of the estate of the late Daniel Ellison at Te Aute on or about January 8. Wharewhiti pleaded not guilty to both charges and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Napier on February 14. - Dr. D. Y. Allan, Waipawa, evidence of examining Hiromina Wharewhiti at 4.30 a.m. on January 9. He found her suffering from shock and multiple bruises. . .. > . Hiromina Wharewhiti, the victim of the alleged assault, said she was a married woman living apart from her husband at Pukehou. She recognised accused as her husband, from whom she was separated in 1933. Since 1934 she had been living with a man, Dick Renata, as man and wife. On the night of January 8 she was disutrbed by the banging of the back door. She called out to Renata, who made a light by which she saw her husband standing at the bedroom door with a gun. She sprang out of bed and grasped the gun. Accused started kicking witness and knocking her about. She was dragged into the kitchen and finally knocked unconscious. Accused previously threatened to do witness injury and threatened to kill her about five months °Ngarihu Renata, commonly known as Dick Renata, labourer, single, living at Pukehou, said he had been living with Hiromina Wharewhiti as man and wife fbr three or four years. He gave similar evidence to that of the previous witness. He said he threw a torch at accused but missed. He ran to a neighbour’s place to ring the police and a doctor. Other evidence about the night' of the alleged assault was given by a 12-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl, who were living with Mrs. Wharewhiti and Dick Renata.

jack Edwards, married, living at Te Hauke, said accused accompanied him to a tangi at Te Hauke on January 8. Evidence for the police was given by Constable R. H. Moss and Detective K. W. Mills.