TRIAL OF HIROKI

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 123, 23 November 1881, Page 2

TRIAL OF HIROKI

I By Telegraph. j I UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. | New Plymouth, 22nd November. The trial of Hiroki, for the murder of M'Lean, was continued to-day. De Gennesg Eraser, Government surveyor, deposed to finding the body of M'Lean, who was cook to witness's Burvey party. The Maoris had not in any way impeded his survey. They sometimes shob wild pigs for food. Hiroki never complained to him about shooting the pigs. Hiroki— Did ever you know any natives stop you at your work? Witness — No. Hiroki — Have you any idea who killed M'Lean P Was it a Maori or a European ? Witness— l do not know. Adam Barclay, chainman, deposed that on the day of the murder he found the things in his tent had been disturbed. Half a pound of powder, some bullets (No. 17), and a sheet were taken away. The sheet produced was taken out of his tent. The bullets produoed, he believed, were similar to thos9 he lost. Had seen prisoner a,t the camp five or six times at least. He always had a gun with him, generally a doublebarreled fowling - pieoe. On one occasion witness saw him with an Enfield rifle. John Burrow, the Waverley constable, also gave evidence. Francis Williamson, a settlor, at Waitotara, deposed that prisoner used to work tor him, and resided at a pah about a mile and three-quarters from Fraser's survey camp. Witnes3 continued — About a week or ten days before the 19th September, 5878, 1 had a conversation with the prisoner at Papatuku,, and he complained to mo of the surveyors killing his pigs, and named M. M'Lean and John M'Lean. He said John M'Lean was a bad man, for he had killed his pigs which bore his mark upon them. He said M'Lean told him he had bought the pigs from me. Hiroki ajsked mo if I had sold the pigs to M' Lean, and I Baid ' No ; 1 had sold hip beef aud mutton, but no piss." I told Hiroki if M'Lean had beea stealing his pigEi he had better sum,tnon him. He said it would, be no, use summoning them, because they would all deny it, and he would get nothing,' Hiroki said he would do some bad work in retaliation. In consequence of what he said I cautioned the surveyors, for I understood that Hiroki would kill the pakehas. Hiroki generally had a gut with him except when he was working. There were wild pigs about at this time, bat ti\ey, were nearly thinned out, as the Maoris were frequently out hunting themselveV. Hiroki (to witness) —I nsver to^d you that the pigs the surveyors killed were mine. . George Blake, a half-caste, deposed to making a search for M'Lean'a murderer, and picking up a bullet similar to, the one produced. They followed 4raok3 of a man and a dog leading to ttirihaka, and on one occa3icm a man wai fired at. Searching about, witness found the Maori mat produced. It hid a ballet hole in it, and there was a blue thread drawn into the liole, as if from a blue shawl. A coording to the way a Maori would wear the mat, the shot waujd strike about the hip of the psrscsn, wearing, it. A cap wafc also picked up by one of tho party a few yards Jsom the mat. Some day 3 afterwards^the party started again, accompanied by Mr. Williams and other*.' They ma3ewr H th& spot where the mat waj found, and in the bush, close to where the mat was .picked up, they fouud several bullet 3, the sh9ot (producad), part of a Testament, a cheque book, and. several sticks of tobacco (all similar to tho3e produced). Hiroki— What is the reason you went to, foJiQw me? Witnes^— Because % heard you had killed M'Lean. Hiroki— Did you see me kill M'Lean? Witness — No. Hiroki— Do you know that those articles produced belonged to me? Witness— l qan'fc cay. Tapa Te Waire, a native ohief living at Wajtotara, at the Papatuku pah, deposed that he had known the prisoner, Wiremu Hiroki, for many years. He lived at the same pah with witness three years ago In 1873, witness left the pah to go to Wellington to attend Parliament. When he left, Hiroki was at his kainga. Hiroki had a double-barreled gun. Witness came back from Wellington i$ November, and found Hiroki had left, and had taken his gun with him. Witness continued— i heard while in Wellington that M'Lean had bean killed. I saw Hiroki at Parihaka in January following, and spoke to him about M'Lean being killed. I Baid t» Hiroki, "You have brought disgrace on the tribe; you have

killed tho white man, and left trouble bohind you amonpst the people" Hiroki did not reply. I asked him whether he shot M'Lean, but he did not answer. I never saw Hiroki wear a hat like tho ono produced. I do not identify any of the articles in Court as belonging to him. He hai pi<rs running at largo, but he never complained of losing any. I never saw Hiroki wear a mat liko the ono produced Hiroki (to witness) — Who told you I killed M'Lean? WitneßB — Williamß. Hiroki— Do yon believe that statement to be true ? Witness— Everyone believes it to be true. Tho Court then adjourned till to-morrow. Thera are three moro native witnesses to be examined, and then it is Baid tho case will be further adjourned till Monday. t » ? This Day. * The case of Hiroki came on at the Police Court this morning. Koreopa was the first wituesa examined, and deposed to going in ssarch of Hiroki and to finding a kit. On ' seeing him afterward* at Pariaka, he mentioned the murder of M'Lean to prisoner, who did not reply. William Williamß, late Land Purchase Commissioner, deposed to being instructed by the Government to go in search ot Hiroki after tho murder of M'Lean, and, when engaged in so doing to the finding of a kit, shawl, and mat. In reply to a question put by prisoner, witness said he did not know whether the things found balonged to Hiroki. Tamanui deposed to seeing Hiroki, after the murder of M'Lean, as ho came to witness' whare. On leaving, prisoner said, " From tho rising to tho sotliug of tho suu let no man follow me." The cap and mat produced prisoner was thou wearing. He also had a kit in his hand. Witness was with a party in Boarch of Hiroki. The case was then adjourned till Monday next.