ONGAROTO TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 102, 30 April 1921, Page 6

ONGAROTO TRAGEDY

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) I ROTORUA, 29th April. The inquest touching the death of Patrick Richard Elliott, at Ongaroto, ! and. the magisterial hearing of the charge against Hakaraia Te Kahu' of j murdering him; concluded, this afternoon. Constable Wright described the finding of bloodstains near the river bank and getting the gun and cartridges (prodnced) from accused's whare. Detective Sweeney stated that he airested Hakaraia, who said nothing when charged. The detective stated that Hakaraia, before arrest, made a statement to the effect that ho and ' Elliott were geod friends. They went shooting on 27th March, and returned in the evening, each going to his own whave. At 5 o'clock next morning <Hakaraia went to Elliott's whare and found him in bed. He boxrowed his overcoat and went to Mokoia. Accused had £25 on 25th March (Good Friday), but nobody knew it. Ho did no harm to Elliott and could not account for the latter's disappearance. ' The Coroner's juiy found that KHieift had died of a gunshot wound in the back of the neck, on or about 27th March, at or near Ongaroto, and that he was wilfully murdered. The" evidence proved that a, strong suspicion rested on Hakaraia Te Kahu as the murderer. -Accused reserved his defence and was committed for trial at Hamilton on 14th June. The Magistrate said that the people searching for Elliott were to be most highly commended,on the way they had t worked under considerable hardships and difficulties. (This proved the high esteem in which the deceased was held.