ATTEMPTED MURDER

Evening Star, Issue 19273, 11 June 1926, Page 6

ATTEMPTED MURDER

CHARGE AGAIHST HALF-GASft [ler United Press Association.] PALMERSTON N., June 11. Arising out of a sensation at Awahuri on the night of February 10, Ernest Taniwha Sutherland, a halfcaste Maori, was charged at the Police Court with attempting to kill his wife, Rangianaua Sutherland, with wilfully setting fire to the dwelling-house of his father-in-law, Richard Drummond, and with assaulting his mother-in-law, Ngaere Drummond and causing her actual bodily harm. Senior-detective Quirke, for the police, said that Mrs Sutherland had been contemplating separation from her husband ? and proceedings were being taken in the Feilding Court the day following the alleged assault. About midnight on February 10 Mrs Sutherland, with her mother and father, with whom she was living, was awakened by a noise and flames. As the result o'f the injuries she received Mrs Sutherland was to the Palmerston Hospital the following day, and remained there till May 29. Even now she was not properly well. Sirs Drummond, as the result of her injuries, had been in the hospital a little over a fortnight. The case was quite a simple one. Accused lost his head and resorted to violence.

Rangianaua Sutherland gave evidence that Sutherland was living apart from her in a hut a mile from her father’s house. At midnight she heard a noise outside her father’s house. She investigated, when her husband approached and struck her several blows with a blunt instrument. He then made off into the night. While in hospital witness had received a letter from her husband asking forgiveness and pleading for a reconciliation. Richmond Drummond said that, being awakened, he went outside and found sacks of old clothes burning under the house. On his pulling them out Sutherland struck witness with a garden hoe. The case is proceeding.