CHARGE OF MURDER

Hawera Star, Volume L, 28 October 1930, Page 4

CHARGE OF MURDER

MAORI CHILD’S DEATH

TRAGEDY AT KETEMARAE FOSTER) MOTHER IN COURT. Charged yesterday with _ assault, Margaret Kereliona, a Maori woman, 40 years of age, re-appeared in the Hawera Court this morning and was charged with the murder of her 16-month-old foster-child, Ngawai Hi Hi, at Normanby on Saturday. The charge was preferred before Mr J. M. J.P. Detective Meiklejohn, who appeai'ed for the police, referred to the charge of assault which had been preferred the previous day and explained that the altered charge was being made as the result of further inquiries by the police and a post-mortem examination of the child.

On the charge of murder accused wa.s remanded in custody till November 5. The suggestion of bail was mentioned by Mr L. A. Taylor, who appeared! for accused, but the objection of the police was upheld. As reported yesterday, it is alleged that an assault on the child took place at the Ketemarae Pa some time on Saturday and the child died during the early hours of Sunday moi’ning. An inquest was formally opened before the coroner, Mr R. S. Sage i at the Hawera Hospital yesterday and was adjourned! until November 5.

The child, a girl baby, whose Maori parents reside in the Otakeho district, was adopted in the Maori fashion by the accused some 12 months ago and had been living- at the Ketemarae Pa with accused 1 .