AWAHURI AFFRAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 163, 11 June 1926, Page 7

AWAHURI AFFRAY

CHARGES AGAINST SLITHERLAND. ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER. SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE. Arising out of the sensation at Awahuri on the night of February 10, Ernest Taniwha Sutherland, a halfcaste Maori, appeared before Messrs N. H. Sinclair and D. J. Lovelbck, J.P’s, at the Police Court this morning charged with attempting to kill his wife, Rangianaua Sutherland. Sutherland, who was represented by Mr Ongley, appeared quite composed and looked a different man from what ho appeared when he was originally charged in court. Senior-Detective Quirke conducted the case for the police, and, in outlining the incidents relating to the charge, stated that Mrs Sutherland had been contemplating a separation from her husband and proceedings were to have been taken in the Feilding Court on the day following the alleged assault. About midnight on February 10, Mrs Sutherland, and her mother and father, with whom she had been living, were awakened by noise and flames. As tlio result of injuries that she had received, Mrs Sutherland had been admitted to the Palmerston North Hospital the following day and had remained there until May 29. Even now she was not yet properly well. Mrs Drummond, as the result of injuries that she had received, had been in the hospital for a little over a fortnight. The case was quite a simple one; accused had lost his head, and had resorted to violence.

MRS SUTHERLAND’S EVIDENCE. The first witness was Rangianaua Sutherland, who deposed that her husband had nob been living with her for some time and had been occupying a hub about a mile away from her father’s residence. On the afternoon of February 10 accused had seen witness and had asked her .to drop the separation proceedings that were pending, but she had told him that she intended to go on. About midnight witness had heard a noise outside her people’s house and the sound of breaking glass, and, investigating, had seen flames in the passage. She had also seen her step-mother with blood on her face. Proceeding outside with her children, she had seen her father endeavouring to put the flames out and had been told by him to take shelter. A little later her husband had approached and had struck her several blows with some blunt instrument, desisting only when her father had approached. He had then made off over a fence into the night. Two natives —one of whom was Tini Akapita—had then come on the scene, and a little while later witness and her step-mother were taken to the hospital. While in that institution she had received a letter from her husband postmarked February 22 asking for forgiveness for what he had done and pleading in very affectionate terms for a reconciliation. BURNING SACKS UNDER HOUSE.

Richard Drummond, farmer of Awahuri, stated that Mr and Mrs Sutherland were married _ 14 years ago, and that their married life had not been a very happy one. About midnight on February 10 witness had been awakened by his wife and told that the house was on fire. After calling out to his daughter, witness had gone outside in his night attire and had seen sacks and old clothes burning under the house. He started to pull them out and while he was so doing Sutherland rushed on the scene, striking witness on the head with a garden hoe. Witness had wrested the hoe from him, and he had then mado off. Later witness had been struck on the back of the head with a brick thrown from behind, and a few minutes later saw accused striking Mrs Sutherland with a grubber. Witness wrested the implement from him and he thereupon mado off. Mrs Drummond had then come on the scene, with blood streaming from her face. Witness had put the women and children in an outhouse and had waited outside in case Sutherland should come back on the scene. Accused had reappeared and had pointed something at witness, threatening to shoot him. Witness picked up a farming tool and went after Sutherland, who mado off for good. During this time the house had been steadily burning and soon it was razed to the ground. The building, which belonged to his wife, was not> insured and witness valued it at £SOO.

AWAKENED BY FLAAIES,

Ngaero Drummond, wife of the previous witness and step-mother of Airs Sutherland, stated through an interpreter that sho and her husband had retired at about seven o’clock on the evening of February 10. About midnight sho had been awakened by’ a noise outside, and had seen flames through tho window. She had thereupon got up and awakened her husband, who had roused Airs Sutherland and gone outside. Witness had proceeded to the front door to go outside, and had met accused, who had struck her several times on the face and forehead with some implement. Witness had been temporarily blinded through skin and flesh covering her eyes, but had been able to make her exit from tho house through a window. Outside she had seen her stepdaughter covered in blood, and some time later, after tho arrival of the police and a doctor, both Airs Sutherland and witness were taken to hospital. OTHER EVIDENCE. In evidence Tini Akapita, settler, of Awahuri, who 'also required the services of an interpreter, stated that, after retiring about midnight on February 10, he had seen flames coming from the direction of Air Drummond’s house and had proceeded thereto with a friend, seeing on his arrival both Mrs Sutherland and Airs Drummond in an injured condition. Witness, at Airs Drummond’s request, had gone for'the police. J)r G. Phillips, of Feilding, gave evidence that, at about 2 a.m. on February 11, he had been called to Awahuri, where, after attending to Airs Sutherland and Airs Drummond, he had sent them in to the Palmerston North Hospital by ambulance. Tho injuries that ho had seen them suffering from would “probably have been caused by some blunt metal instrument. , ■ ' Constable AlcColl, stationed at Feuding, who had also been summoned to the scene, gave evidence that, when he arrived, the house was still smouldering and both women were in an injured condition. Dr P. T. Putnam, in evidence, stated that, after her admission to the hospital, Airs Sutherland had been between life and death for many weeks. She was now in a very frail condition, and it would be a long time before

she was anywhere near right again. One incised wound penetrating to the lungs had necessitated an operation some time after her admission. Airs Drummond’s injuries had been less serious. ACCUSED GIVES HIAISELF UP. On oath, Senior-Detective Quirko stated that, on April 22 last, in consequence of information received by telephone from accused, lie liad proceeded to a house in Palmerston North and had there seen 'accused, who had stated to witness that ho wished to surrender to tho police, and that he was sorry, for what he had done on the night of February 10. In a statement ho had made voluntarily, accused had admitted that ho had placed burning sacks under a window of the building, but denied that ho had intended to burn tho house down or harm any of the inmates. This concluded the case for the police, and accused , reserved his defence. CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

Accused was then charged with assaulting Airs Drummond and causing her actual bodily harm. Evidence was given by Drs Phillips and Putnam on the lines of that previously indicated, following which the court adjourned till this afternoon, when evidence was also to be taken on a. charge of allegedly wilfully setting tire to Air Drummond's residence.