THE PRISONER WINIATA. DETAILS OF PACKER'S MURDER.

Evening Post, Volume XXIII, Issue 152, 1 July 1882, Page 4

THE PRISONER WINIATA. DETAILS OF PACKER'S MURDER.

The following details of the murder of young Packer, at Epsom, ia 1876, aro given by the* Ly ttelton Times : - Packer was a cadet, respeotably connected st Home, who had come to New Zealand to learn the business of farming, with the intention of becoming a settler in Auokland. He bad made the necessary arrangements with Mr. C leghorn, a farmer at Epiom, a settlement not far from Onehunga. Here he oame into friendly relations with Winiata, who was t> practical farm hand, thoroughly acquainted with tho agricultural system f flowed in the distriot, and who had been in Mr. < leghorn's ■ervioe for years. Young 'acker, while profiting by what he could learn in agricultural matters from his Maori friend, also took ihe opportunity to pick up a smattering cf the native Ltnguago. The two bemme companions, and frequently went fishing toKther. ThU amicable state of things oon«ed till' Packer missed some money, and inspecting that Winiata, who had absented himself from tho farm for some days, had taken it, he informed a constable of his suspicions. The constable, on meeting Winiata a few hours afterwards, aaked him, half in joke and half in earnest, what he had done with Packer's money. Winiata indignantly denied all knowledge of Packer's money.! «That night young Packer went to as usual, after spending a pleasant evening with the members of Mr. Oleghorn's family, for whom ho played a number of air^on the concertina, the last air being, it ia said, " Home. Sweet Home." He was not again seen alive by a white man. It should here be stated that the plaoe in which Packer slept was a portion of a large ihed, boarded off and fitted with bunks, one of wbioh was occasionally ocoupied by Winiata. Early in tho morning tha servant girl, from whose bedroom window tho shed and door of the sleeping apartment were visible, heard a noise whioh induced her to look out. She then saw Winiata enter Paoker's room, but thought nothing of it, ■uppoaing that they had arranged to go fishiDg togethor beforo going to work. Later on she got up and began her household work; having occasion to go to the shed, opposite, for some firewood She knocked at Paoker'x door, and receiving no reply, imagined her surmise as to the fishing execution was correct. About the same time • son of Mr. CleghOrm and a young friend staying in the house, started rabbit shooting, taking with them a do,?. They hod hardly started, however, when the dog pointed at a heap ofposts and rails at the book of the shea. They approached the shed oautiously, but, on reaohing it, were horrified to ccc the foot and lower pait of tho leg cf a man protrading from it. They at onoe called Mr. Cleghorn, and removed the timber from what proved to be the body of the ill-starred Paoker. The poor fellow had ovidently b >en murdered, the baok of his neck and lower part of his head having been haoUftd with lame edged instrument, and showing some tight or nine distinct outs. The body was taken into the shed where the deceased had slept, and information was sent to the police tt!> Auokland. A party immediately started for' the spot, and soon learned the particulars above given. Search was instantly made for Wfaiafa, and in the course of this search the implement with whioh the murder had been committed— a bill-hook suoh as is used fo» trimming hedges— was found ; aa wore also portions of Packer's olothing, inclusive of a ooat, in the pocket of which were found letters from Home and memoranda of native names for oommon objeots. Evidently the murderer had intended to appropriate more than the money of the deceased, but had been compelled to hurry off through the murder being discovered so soon attor its commission. In proof that the murderer had been prematurely disturbed, the additional disoovery was made of a large hole freshly dug in tha earth under a thiok growth of gorse, ovidently intended as the grave of the unfortunate viotim. From this hole a clear view of tho !arm premises could be had, and no doubt Winiata waa digging it when young Cleghorn and his friend discovered tho corpse, and raised the alarm. Seeing that all ohanoe of concealing the orime— for had the body been buried under the gorse, it would not easily have been found — had gone, Winiata, it ia alleged, must have hidden himself as best he oould, and this he did so effeotually that despite the moat diligent searoh for him over the whole distriot, through whioh the alarm rapidly spread, ha auaoeeded in eluding discovery, and got cafe into the Kiug country. At the inquest on the deceased, the above-mentioned details were elicited, and a verdiot of "Wilful Murder " was found against Winiata.