THE EAST COAST TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 236, 18 December 1888, Page 2

THE EAST COAST TRAGEDY.

WHAT THE MAORIS THINK OF IT. HOW HAIRA TREMBLED BENEATH THE BLANKETS. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS GUILT. If there were any doubt whatever about the guilt of Haira te Piri in connection with the Pook murders, further information which we have received should be completely convincing—at any rate it is to our mind. In a conversation with Captain Ferris a native who lodged in the same whare aa Haira narrated the following:—Haira had been engaged shearing at Akuaku, with his brother-in-law Apirana and others, and at the completion of the work Apirana permitted Haira to draw what was due to the former, which Haira did jointly with his own. But before he had time to hand the money over to the brother-in-law Haira got playing cards and lost the money. Apirana was naturally much annoyed, and kept nagging at Haira about the money, which the latter was then not in a position to refund whether he wished to do so or not, though he did not seem to like being asked for it. On the day on which the murder was discovered the natives were aroused by Haira coming fnto the whare about three o’clock in the morning—it is an unusual thing for the natives to travel about so late at night. They asked him what he had been doing and why he came in so late. He said he had been at Waipiro playing cards, and before ensoonsing himself in the blankets, he went up to Apirana and said, “ Here is that money you have always been asking me about take it.” Next morning the native policeman known as “ Cocky ” came into the whare, and according to custom the natives, who were rolled up in their blankets, sat up to greet him, with, however, the exception of Haira. Cocky looked round and asked where was Haira 1 He himself did not make any response, but the natives 'could see by the vibration of the blankets that Haira was trembling like a withered leaf. “Are you there, Haira?” Cooky again asked. At first there was no response but the shaking of the blankets, ns though the man were cowering with fear, and after a pause he pulled the blankets from off his head and greeted the constable. t “ Where were you last night, Haira ? asked

co° k y- ’ ~ „ . “ At Waipiro,” replied Haira. “ Were you not also at Mataahu—at Pook’s?” continued Cooky. Haira hesitated, and then he said that he had called in there on his way home, to Reporua, to buy some things—which, according to his own words, would mean that he had called in at Book’s shortly before three that morning. .... Cocky then asked him where his boots where. Haira evaded the question, and was understood to say that he had left his boots at Waipiro. Cocky then pulled the blankets off Haira’s feet, and found be had his boots oa, and on examination, so the natives say, blood was discovered on the sole of one boot, and, as already stated, the nails and worn portions of the boot corresponded exactly with the bloody marks on the floor, and there was also hlood inside the boot. The theory which the natives give—and they ought to be able to form an accurate opinion—is that Haira cherished the idea of robbing the store, to enable him, as he hoped, to extricate himself from the monetary troubles which harassed him. He had gone there at a time when he knew Mr Pook would not be at home, perhaps thinking he would also evade Mrs Pook, it being a natural thing that she would be in the back portion of the building. Haira was, to continue the assumption of the natives, ransacking the place when Mrs Pook appeared on the scene, and she was knocked on the head. Then the man went into the back and knocked the senses out of the child Bertie, who had probably become alarmed and was making a noise. Retracing his steps to the shop, the murderer again started to ransack, when Mr Pook unexpectedly put iti an appearance, but before he had time to take in ths position other than to become aware that there was a customer in the shop, the unfortunate man had been immediately struck down with the iron bar. Being uncertain that Mrs Pook was yet dead and urged on to desperation by the fear of subsequent detection and being confronted by one or other of the victims, the murderer took the knife and made the stabs on Mrs Peek’s body, and still being doubtful of his success he had perpetrated the horrible mutilalation by which ths head was nearly severed from the body, the husband’s body being previously taken round behind the counter and lain across that of his wife, the finishing gashes being then inflicted to make certain that life was extinct.

The Maoris consider that the parcel had been brought in by Mr Pook himself and had nothing to do with the murder. The murderer, it is supposed, either did not see the rings referred to, or was afraid to take them, or was only in search of hard oash.

On leaving the house and some distance on the road to Reporua the murderer threw the bloody knife over the track and, as he thought, over the hill amongst the deep growth, but Providence (the Maoris say) stayed the flight of the knife, and it was subsequently discovered, perhaps to be an unfailing clue to the perpetrator of the dreadful deed. The Maoris say they have not the slightest doubt that Haira is the man, and certainly, unless the medical testimony is to the reverse, this supposition would make the affair plainer to those who cannot believe the act could be that of a Maori or that plunder could have been the principal motive. By this explanation it will be observed that nearly all the worst passions of a bad Maori had urged him on to do what.it was believed the worst villain of the race was too cowardly, with all his villainy, to attempt—to commit murders of this description. If it was Haira he had no doubt brooding within him his brother's trouble with Mr Pook, which Haira would feel it was part of his duty to avenge when he got the opportunity, and embarrassed by the results of his craving for gambling he bad the desire for plunder strong upon him, maddened by fear in the possibility of his victims escaping to tell the tale he had been impelled, in his fury, to make his crime more revolting by the mutilation of his victims, and what w 0 have not yet been able to ascertain, but will certainly know in due course, he may have been prompted in his evil deeds by that curse which has been nearly the ruin of the native race—alcohol. It is hardly fair to comment on that possibility at the present moment, but we are determined that that portion of the affair shall not be allowed to rest if the crime is in the remotest way attributable to this sort of thing, and, if the gambling took place in a public house, that cannot be allowed to pass unheeded.

We have sought Dr Pollen’s opinion as to whether it would be possible for Mrs Pook to have been murdered first, but he does not think it would be, and believes that both the male and female lay on the floor just as they bad been struck down. On the knife being shown to them the natives at once affirmed that it belonged to Haira.

There is no doubt that Haira is a thorough scoundrel, and many instances can be given to show that he is one of the worst class of Maori along the coast, and one of those by whom it is unfair to judge the native race generally. A short time back he had some disagreement with his father, and took up an axe to strike him. The other natives interfered and prevented him doing what he threatened, and he was ordered to leave the place. Before leaving he said to his father, “ I will send a bullet through you before long.” When at Reporua he nearly killed his wife by kicking her and dragging her on top of a fire, and she had also to bo rescued by the other natives.

THE LATEST.

THE TROUSERS ARE STILL MISSING, SERGEANT BULLEN POSITIVE. Last night we received the latest news from Awanui, but there is really little to report, except that the police have been unable to discover the trousers which Haira ie supposed to have worn when the foul deed was committed. Sergeant Bullen is, however, folly convinced that he has sufficient evidence te prove Haira’s guilt. The case was jesteriay to have bean adjourned to Gisborne, to 'OMi on lor hearing M W frifW