LIFE SENTENCE

Grey River Argus, 30 October 1941, Page 3

LIFE SENTENCE

WAITOTARA MURDER Maori's Conviction [Per Press Association] WANGANUI, October 22. The prouucLion oy the poi ce t>x a statement sa.u to nave oeen made- by accused wnen ne was ueing mteiviewed concerning tne crime, was a feature of tne continued nearmg m tne Wanganui Supreme Court in. the trial »9i i/ipi Aatene, a labourer, ageci 28, wno is charged wiin tne nniruer at’ Waitotara on August 4, of Arcnur Harding Barxinson. a storekeeper, aged 79. . ~ . in tms statement, accused saM tnat he went to tne snop at night and nought some cigarettes, and, as tne storekeeper was going to open the door to let hnn .out, he struck him down witn a piece of wood, dragged him along the passage, ano chopped inm across tne tnroat witn an axe, using a torch to give light. He took deceased's keys and_extracted money Horn the store safe and cash-box, later throwing the keys into the Waitotara River. Next day, he went to Patea, taking the money, which included cheques. Constable H. J. Olsen, of Waitotara. described boot marks found on August 5 at a hole in tne hedge at the rear of Parkinson's property near the Waitotara River. Fresh bootmarks were also found along the river bank on August 7 by witness, with Detective J. Murray. The shoes of Katene were compared with the marks on the river bank, and they appeared to fit into these marks accurately , _ Detective J. Murray said that Katene was interviewed by witri-ss and Detective T. W. Allsop in Patea on August 6. Cheques for £7 8s 3d and £7 2s 7d were found on him when searched, also £l7 in notes. Asked .where he got the cheques and money, Katene put his hands to his face and said, “1 done it. Poor old Parkie.’ Katene was cautioned before making the statemem.

The statement was read by Detective Murray in Court. It was also read in Maori, by an interpreter, to Katene. The statement covers typed foolscap pages, and took 35 minutes to read in Maori. When charged with the murder, said Detective Murray, Katene said, Sir/’ Cross-examined by Mr V. E. Willis, Detective Murray, asked when he first suspected Katene. replied tnat it was when tne money was produced, and accused said. “I done it. Pool old Parkie.” Mr Willis suggested to Detective Murray that he got a great thrill. “No,” replied the detective. I got a great surprise, the surprise of niy life.” He thought he was justified m allowing Katene to make a statement before he was arrested. He did not press Katene in any way. lhe statement was voluntary, and he ' wa s cautioned beforehand. He was not prompted, unless it was something to keep the statement in sequence. They arrived at the police station at 5.38 p.m.. and 10 minutes later he and Detective Murray started to type the statement. It was llnishea at 8.10 p.m. P.A. WANGANUI, October 29. The first person to b e tried on a capital charge since the' New /Maland Government abolished the deatn penalty, Pipi Katene, labourer, aged 28, was found guilty in the Supreme Court to-day of the murder of Arthur Harding Parkinson, storekeeper, Waitotara, aged 79. Mr Justice Smith sentenced Katene to imprisonmen with hard labour for life. Parkinson was found dead at the Lack ot his store at Waitotara early on the morning of August 5, his head having been seriously injured, anc. mere were a mallet and an axe nearby, both bloodstained. A sum of money was taken from the safe. Accused was arrested next day at Patea by detectives J. Murray (Wanganui), and T. W. Allsopp (Hawera,-. In a statement, which the detectives said accused made, he admitted Parkinson over the head with tne mallet, dragging him to the rear ot the shop, and then delivering several more blows with the axe.

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

WELLINGTON CHARGE

P.A. WELLINGTON, October 29. Charged with robbing William Gee, taxi proprietor, of 15s. wniic armed with offensive weapons, namely a gun and a bludgeon, Gwilt George Stone, aged 28. a appeared before the Magistrate, Mr in evidence, said the occurrence was in Queen’s Drive. Lyal Bay, about 7.15 p.m. on August 2, and he fully detailed how he was forced to hand over the money at the point of what appeared to be & nickel plated gun, with a barrel about two and a-half inches The man afterwards made off, while a young couple were passing Witness informed the Lyall Bay police. Lying in th? back seat of the taxi, witness found the bludgeon produced in Court. On October 2 he attended an identification parade at the Central Police Station, and there picked out accused as the man who robbed him-.