AN AUTOPSY INTERRUPTED.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 32, 7 August 1905, Page 5

AN AUTOPSY INTERRUPTED.

[BY TM,EO-SAPH— • PRBSS ASSOCIATION. ] AUCKLAND, sth August. A Maori named Nia Hare, who lived at Raratonga, and was staying temporarily in the Maori settlement at Orakei, was found dead in his whare. For the last two yean, he had been engaged in fruitgrowing in Raratonga. Death was extremely sudden, as he had apparently been in good health. Under the circumstances, an enquiry was considered necessary, and the Coroner proceeded to Orakei this morning to conduct *n enquiry. He was accompanied by Dr. Peter Moir, whom he directed to make an autospy. The corpse was laid out in a tent, and a number of Maoris were around it before the medical man commenced his examination. Tho Coroner requested the natives to withdraw, but they refused. Several women v, are amongst them, and a constable was directed to remove these by force. There was no active resistance op the part of the natives, but as the constable would put ont woman outside | the tent several more would enter from the other s|de. An extraordinary scene was witnessed, several of the wahines throwing themselves on the body iD order to stop the doctor making an incision. As the natives crowded around, it was impossible to proceed. The Coroner decided to take evidence of identification, and also to put on record the doctor's description of the manner in which he had been obstructed. The enquiry was then adjourned. The Coroner has applied for a posse of police to be sent, to enable the autopsy to be made.