A Shocking Death.

Hastings Standard, Issue 191, 8 December 1896, Page 2

A Shocking Death.

AN OLD MAORI WOMAN ROASTED TO DEATH. [By Telegraph.] [Per I'/r.sx Association.) Gisuorne, Dec. 7. A partly demented Maori woman named Akeniha Keating, wife of a European, met with a horrible death at North CJisborne. Her husband said he gave her her dinner on Saturday afternoon ; he had to feed her, as she was helpless, and when she sat or laid down he had to lift her up again. She had been in that state for the past two years, but had been worse for the past month. He then left for Gisborne, and returning home at 5 o'clock missed her. He looked around, and seeing smoke in the orchard rushed down there and found her lying oh her back and the grass on fire all round her. She was dead, lying in a dry trench a few inches deep. The grass was long and dry and would burn very quickly, but he could not account for it taking fire. He supposed she was smoking. She was in the uabit of smoking, and was frequently in the orchard. Sho was about 65 years of age. A neighbor gave evidence that the grass was on fire for an acre around her. The deceased wa? drpudniHy burned on the left side and both arms, and the hair was burned o.V h..r ucad. Her arms and legs were exfended up both sides of the trench as she had fallen from a distance into the trench in that attitude. The woman's mouth and nose were covered with biood. The clothing had not been burned below the waist. A verdict of accidental death by burning was returned. Eight or ten years ago deceased's mother was burned to death within a few yards of the same spot by her whare catching fire.