MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

Evening Star, Issue 17368, 2 June 1920, Page 1

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

[Pjsb TJkited Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June L The hearing of the charge of murder against a young Maori named Hona Herewitn, otherwise known as Hona Selwyn, from Awanui, was commenced at the [Supreme Court this morning before Mr Justice Chapman. The accused was charged that, at Awanui, on he murdered a fellow Maori Mai Hemi Hui, 22 years of age. In opening the case Mr J, A. Tole (Crown Prosecutor) stated that on Saturday, February 7, a number of young Maoris were about the Awanui Hotel in the afternoon, some of them belonging to Awanui and some coming from Kaingaroa. After the hotel closed at 6 p.m. they remained for a time about the stable yard of the hotel. Some time after 7 p.m. prisoner and Mei Hui were seen righting, and were • separated. Prisoner was advised to get his horse and go home. He went to get his horse, and Hui walked towards the gate leading to the road. Then prisoner, who had got on his horse, rode towards the gate, and the case for the Crown was that as he rode past Hui iie inflicted a very severe and fatal blow on Hui's head with some weapon—either a piece of wood or a stirrup iron. Hui fell unconscious, and after trying to__revire him all the Maoris went away. The most extraordinary feature of the case was that the injured man seemed to have been left lying in the yard. A fact that was wrapped in mystery- was his removal, for the body was "found later, only a'fter three or four daya' search, in a drain a quarter of a mile away from the hotel/ Prior to the rising of the Court the Crown Prosecutor said he wished to re-, duce the_ charge to one of manslaughter." Mr Justice Chapman concurred.