THE WHANGAREI TRAGEDY.

Mataura Ensign, 23 July 1914, Page 4

THE WHANGAREI TRAGEDY.

DISTRESSING DETAILS. FIB BNITHT> PRBBB ABBOCTATIOK WHANG ARE I, July 22. At an inquest on tie death of Mary Hammon, the ( victim of the boardinghouse tragedy yesterday, the evidence of a son, age<f 13, showed tliait tho parents quarrelled three, weeks ago hecause.' the father did not liko tho lriotlier joking with the boarders. Witness saicf that Sii.s father lent his mother Mnif* money, and liiis lather wft« a,nnoyecl because she did not return it to' him, -asml' dcd-iriedl to go to work until it was paid. Tho night before his mother was -killed! his father r6lled' up tiis swag and said he was going to Kawakawa, in the morning. On Tiiesday morning iliis father, who s-k'pt in a. tent in iho grounds, gut up at -1 o'clock and' ;>iskcdi his mother for money for the jotuney. His mother refused, and his father got an axe and when hi# mother's back was turned. If© struck her on the head. Slio wminiDdl and 1 fell backwards. Witness's father then struck her two or three times nw sho lay on the floor, and left the axe buriedi in. her head. His father shouted! "Ciood'liye," and ruslred out of tlie house. His mother uttered no -sound except for a low moaning after tho first Wow. Arther Hammon H 5) said that his parents quarrelled a (rood deal at times. His father had two weeks previously threatened to "do for" witness J'or taking his mother's part. Tho medical witnem said' 'that tho axe was extracted wkli difficulty. W. Woods (a boarder) said! that the deceased had told him tlireo necks ago that lier husband' ,hud threatened' swr again. Sergeant Moore srated 1 that Hammon on: being aircs'tcd .said-: "R was don® for the best; it .was done for the children's sake. She ..aid I wouldn't work. She was cruel to the children. It will all <'ome out now."

The ehroner said' that it was pj s'ioc.kin« case, and he was'sorry simli things should 1 happen in Whangarei. or elsewhere. A verdict of wilful murder was returned.

If amnion was Immcht before the court ;uul charged with murder. A lemand was granted till Monday.

Mother! Ask vour menfolk and their friends to smoke REGENT CIGARETTES', and give you the Tickets Tli« right number smno.s a Free .Sowing .Machine, or Table-Mangle. Write Regent, Box Ml. Wellington, for Catalogue of Free Gifts. 39