ISLAND TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 144, 15 December 1922, Page 8

ISLAND TRAGEDY

STORY OE CONFESSION

PRISONER'S INNOCENCE CLAIMED

NEGOTIATION SVITH GOyERNMENT .OmOIALS,

(BT TEUORAJH.—SPECIAL TO IB) FOBC.)

AtTOKLAND, This Day.

The assertion ffiat a Nine Islander named ,Matiu is now suffering imprisonment, at Samoa for a crime of which he is innocent is made by Mr. E. B. "Vaile, who writes to the "Herald" explaining the'circumstances. "In April, 1921," he states, "a native constable was murdered at the village of Makeju, on Niue Island, and two men, Matiu and' Ulumotu (uncle and nephew respectively) were,arrested. Ulumotu was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude, and Matiu, >vho jhad nothing to do with the trime, was sentenced to death. This sentence was subsequently commuted to one of imprisonment for life. H.M.S. Chatham ■was sent to remove these men, and before their departure, the murderer was told that the laitu,' or ghost of his victim would follow him and eat at his heart until he died. This is practically what did occur, as Ulumotu, shortly after arriving in Mount Eden prison, died.. He ;left a dying confession of his guilt, stated his reason for the crime, and exonerated Matiu.- - ,

"The confession ultimately came into my hands," says Mr. "Vaile, "and I sent an interpretation of it-to the Department of Justice, which informed me that it was'a, matter for consideration of the Cook Islands Department. I then received a telegram from the Secretary of External Affairs asking me to forward the original confession. Before doing so I took precautions to have ,it photographed, and subsequent events proved the .wisdom of doing so. A long correspondence then ensued, and has now.gone on forgone year and eight months. During this period I "was seeking further evidence/in support of the confession, and it was necessary to. do so as far afield, as Fiji,; Samoa,'and Niue Island. I have ultimately succeeded in obtaining sworn evidence in the form of an affidavit by a person/who is well acquainted with' TJlumotu's' handwritng, that the photograph to whch. I have already referred is of a document in the handwriting of Ulu-« motu. I have not received any assistance from the Department in my endeavour _ to prove the native's innocence,' find it has been a long and tedious process."

The- following is <an interpretation of ,the "confession referred to 1: "I am Ulumotu ,-ivho is writing this letter on board His Majesty's Ship Chatham. She is anchored here to take away six men who w-ere wrecked here. I have madi. up my mind to write this letter to make known the;story about myself, for I feel certain- that death, is coming to me. When we fleft Niue my body was light like lottpn-wool; no sickness 'of any kind, but after having spent twenty nights in prison at Fiji! I saw a vision in the night. From that. night I got very ill and nearly died there". I felt well in the daytime, but felt ill at night. The doctor was kind to me on board ship, but: he did not understand what had happened to me. A spear had been thrust into my, side and drew my breath way I am cursed through my bloody hands. . Matiu took the long knife that [ slew him-with to Court and told, them "what 1 did, which was all true. The people around heard my lamentations to my wife when she died. I was, persuaded by and others to put the blame on my uncle (Matiu) as if I told ; the truth the law will take away my life; but if I said it was my uncle the law will have mercy on him being one of themselves (a man of standing). I can hear and feel that I have not many days to live, that death has come to me. They say at Niiie that they will, take me to the place. where .they sent „ .., but to Napier, where they sent — ■ —."My dear iinols^l have sinned toward you. When yon hear.that I have gone, take* this,^ letter to Niue and make it known^ I* am Ulimotu who wrote this letter." '

;.Mr Vaile says the Department, states in '• a letter dated 16th November, that the matter is "receiving every consideration." Mr. Vaile concludes:. "This is how the matter stands at the presentbuy I consider it is of such a nature that it should be taken up by the public and finally and speedily settled. The unfortunate Matiu was not represented by a solicitor or by.anyone else, and when he attempted to defend himself was silenced. Could any treatment be more reprehen^ sible? Recently communicatiqn with Matiu and those assisting him (including his wife).' has., ; been mysteriously interrupted. I intend to locate this interruption. I wish io make it perfectly clear that the gentleman who is ,now Resident Commissioner at Niue island was not in any way responsible for theahove; under his administration such behaviour would be impossible.".