FATAL QUARREL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12543, 3 May 1935, Page 5

FATAL QUARREL

MAORI SLAYS MAORI

alleged Confession “1 KILLED rtTM./' (Press Association), PA AVER,A, May 2. •Tacfi' Ngapaki was charged atj the Patea Magistrate’s Court.this morning with the murder of Sam Hauora atTopaku on March 25 an.dj, was committed to. the Supreme. Court fog trial at Wanganui on Max 27. Air Salmoud, S.M., Ea*. on the Bench; Mr N. R. Bain appeared: l°r the prosecution and Mr 'l’. Roberts represented tho. accused. Constable Kelly gave evidence that ho found deceased; fully clothed in the yard of tlie farm on which! he and Ngapaki resided. Alongside tl,ie body was a hardwood stick with which the wounds had apparently boon tuft.icted. The only person in the house was tho accused, who said, when asked what happened “I killed him.” Accused also said 1 that Ilauora came home swearing', growling and talking roughly. Accused told him. to get out and, when deceased was going to get rough again, lie (accused) hit him on the forehead with a stick, striking him several times after he fell to the ground. He then arrested accused. AAlien lie chatted iliim, accused said: “It wa a Sam’s fault.” Accused' was quite sober and rational. Dr. AA r . T. Simmonds, Patea,, cor raborated the statements made by accused to the constable. Accused, appeared to he quite collected! and. normal. In company w-Hli Dr G. J. Ad : amsr, t witness conducited a ;pcß<J mortem on Ilauora. Death was due to eonctissjon folio,wing ni cerebral haemorrhage, together with a. fracture of the skull. Turoa ilauora, a son, Of deceased, said that h c heard from the d°or of file cowshed an argument between accused and deceased. Witness heard plainly accused say ‘1 will kill you” These were the only words he could hear, although both wore speaking at the top of their voices. AA’itness did not hoar what his father was saying, a a accused spoke the louder, the argument continued for about five minutes and then witness slanted: towards the house. AVhon about half why witness hoard knocking or something bumping against wood, fie sa\y accused standing by the lircplaec outside, it being fairly dark. Accused ca.lled out “Tu, I killed Sam to got him out ol the r.oad.” Foe come years,. -io,caused and deceased had been in the habit of quarrelling although, sometimes, they were quite friendly. The last argument Witness hoard was about a year ago. On that occasion, accused had said' be would kill Sam if he did not get off the property. This statement had boon frequently repeated by accused and witness recalled quite readily two occasion g when th c threat was made.

The Coronial inquiry was hol'd m conjunction with the court proceedings, Mr E. F. Hemingway (Coroner) finding in accordance with the medical evidence that death w ; ds the result of cerebral haemorrhage, concussion and fracture of the skull from blows inflicted by .Tack Nga paki.