AWAHURI AFFAIR.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 April 1926, Page 7

AWAHURI AFFAIR.

SUTHERLAND SURRENDERS TO POLICE. THE INCIDENT RECALLED. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1 PALMERSTON N.. April 23 Ernest Taniwha Sutherland, a half--•iaste Maori who has been wanted by police since February 10 on a charge of attempted murder of his wife, Rangi Sutherland, at Awahuri, surrendered himself to the police' at a. late hour .last evening, after sending a message where he was to he found at a certain address at .Palmerston North. He expressed .sorrow at what he had done, and said he desired to give the police no further trouble. _ , • He appeared at the Police Court this morning on a charge of attempted murder, and wa.s remanded till April 30, with a prospect of a further remand. It will be .remembered that on the evening preceding the Awahuri incident Sutherland was unsuccessful in persuading his wife to cancel separation proceedings instituted bv her. He then left the house of his father-in-law, Drummond, where his wife resided. About midnight Drumomnd awoke to find that the house whs afire, as the result of sacks soaked in kerosene being placed berteath and set alight. Drummond told his wife, Mrs Sutherland, and the letter’s three children, to shelter in a shed while he tried to pull the sacks awav and extinguish the b'aze. Sutherland then re-appeared and, it was alleged, struck Drummond with a. garden implement. He again disappeared, and then went to the sued where the women and children were sheltering. It is alleged that he inflicted serious wounds on 1 the shoulder of his wife with a, knife or an axe and made off. It was alleged, _ also, that he was responsible fox the injuries, received by Mrs Drummond, who, however, auickiy recovered. Mrs Sutherland is jgtill ‘in hospital, but is now well on the road to recovery.