MAORI DROWNED

Franklin Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 3, 11 January 1943, Page 3

MAORI DROWNED

BODY FOUND IN TRUCK CRASH IN MANGATARATA STREAM VEHICLE UNLAWFULLY TAKEN LOCAL NATIVE MISSING IS THERE ANY CONNECTION? The body of a Maori, and a truck belonging to Hie Franklin Elect,ricpowcr Board which was unlawfully converted, were discovered lying in about six feel of water in the Mangalatala stream. between Maramarua and Wailakaruru. yesterday afternoon. The body of I lie Maori lias been recovered and now lies in the mortuary at Thames awaiting identification. A 4 0-year-old Maori, resident of Pukekohe, is also reported missing. He lias not slept at 1 1 is usual place of abode the last two nights and there is reason to believe Iliat the missing Maori, and (he body recovered from the Mangatarata stream, are the one and the same person. A Pukekohe native has been despatched to Thames for the purpose of identifying the body and the mystery will not be clarified until he makes iiis report.

Description of the Body The description of the body, and the missing Maori, are identical but until identification has been established the name cannot be given. , Following is a description of the ' body recovered from (lie stream. It was that of a Maori male about oft. Bins. in height. He had black hair which was well brushed back at the forehead. flat \nose, copper complexion. thick lips, brown eyes, upper teeth in bad condition, with one tooth missing from the upper right .jaw. He was dressed in light blue suit coat, li-ht grey trousers, with a green tinge, was also wearing two shirts and pyjama coat, black patent leather shoes, size eight, a grey sock on one foot, but there was no sock on the oilier foot. lie also wore a blue coloured rubberised overcoat. In one pocket ,/was a black tie and a tooth brush. The second linger of the right hand is missing at the first joint and i!m third finger of the same hand : s missing at the second joint. Associated with the recovery of the body is the. story about a truck belonging to the Franklin Electricpower Board.

Power Board Truck Missed At 8.80 yesterday morning ;im Pukekohe Police were advised by Mr E. S. Grotty, lines foreman, in the employ of the board, that <m making •til inspection of the hoard's depot in Manukau Road earlier he found that the side door tending info the depot store was open. The roll-up door leading to the footpath was rolled up about 8 feet, and a truck which had been placed in the building the previous nigh! had been pushed out and placed on ils correct side of tin 1 road facing south. Another truck, a Ford coupe, L I'd of;, was missing. As far as could he ascertained the petrol supply had not been interfered with.

Mr Grotty (ukl Mr .1. S. Hinton. ,m----otliei' employee. reside at the j-er*t‘ of tile depot. but neither he;ird miy unusual sounds during Saturday nigh! or Sunday mommy. .lust outside tile depot there is a down-hill urade and a vehicle valid he run down in a southerly direction at least duo ymais before there is need to start up the engine. The vehieh ntaim’d .d'ou! eight gallons of petrol, mid th<' ignition key was left in Mm -wid-h. • tods of copper wire, a wheel .nd weilworu spare tyre were in the , r of the truck. Thieves After Petroi While liie 1 ‘ui-;<■ iniii■ • t*• *]:.••* instiluling their >• 11 <[i;iri —. a o"-" , v was received from »:ons!ah. : e y. lard, of Mercer, to the .■ i about i.-in a.m. on Sunday, t M" M - Robbie. of Pokeno. iiad lieard siirone in his hack yard and on g dim ou'side saw what h" tliouLdit to * Maoris syphoning jar-!>•-.| • ;■<»• i truci: in his yard. On being ippms-idty disturbed someone ran away i vow i milk can in the yard with dm nu - •• 660 Tuakau tint ter fa<dory :, did• .' in it. ft contained about half i of petrol. Mr Mrßnblde d-o -ai\a half-lon truck with i wid -hu'dt body and as far as tie .amid -a m the foggy light Hie truck J at painted on its side. Tim d-w.-,.. number he believed was E Utu>. One of the Maoris was ianm. amt lie identified one who was weß-known in the district.

Motor Car Stolen A Jit fte later in the mornim: messages were • received from Papakurn Police and Korepeehi Police ‘hat a motor car had been stolen. fainstable P. Beasley, of Korepeehi. advised Pukckohe Police of the theft of the motor car. the properly o; Mr John Motion. fanner. A galea. Mr Motion, who was visiting bis farm at Mangatarata. left the car in . paddock at 7 a.m.. the spot being about half a mile from the scene of where the truck and the dead Maori were found. When Mr Motion returned half an hour later his car had disappeared and it has not yet, been recovered. It was last seen proceeding through Man mama on its way toward Auckland. The tank, it is understood, did not contain much petrol. At 2.35 yesterday aftermioi.. Constable Beasley rang Mr Crotty from Kerepeehi asking if the Franklin Power Board employed Maoris, and receiving a negative answer, informed Mr Grotty : hat , Power Board truck, with a dead Maori in the cab. had been discovered in «. stream below the Mangatarat.i bridge, and thru evidently it had failed to negotiate a. slight bend in the road and had crashed through the side railing of the wooden bridge. Mr Crotty then informed Constable Beasley that, one of the hoard’s trucks had been stolen overnight.

LATER BODY bDRATIFIED Tilt-: MIFFING PEKEKOfIE MAORI Advice was received as the Times was going to press that the body recovered from the cab of the Power Board vehicle found in the Mangatarata stream had been identified as that of Tu Whakarara, better known as Torn Taaka. the Pukekohe Maori who had not slept at his usual place of abode since Friday night. Taaka was well-known locally and for a time it is believed had been employed by the Manpower Department in registering Maoris for certain forms of employment.