OLD MAORI’S DEATH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 308, 27 November 1936, Page 8

OLD MAORI’S DEATH

INQUEST CONCLUDED. CONFLICT OF EVIDENCE. Having been opened on November 12 for the purpose of taking evidence of identification, the inquest on the circumstances leading up to the death of Taitoko Te Matai, aged 70, of Mangawhata, in Palmerston North on November 11, was completed to-day. The Coroner, Mr A. J. Graham, presided and Detective-Sergeant Dickerdike conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police. The verdict returned was that deceased died from coma due to cerebral compression, caused by a head injury accidentally sustained.

Mr Cyril King, F.It.C.S., stated that a post-mortem examination had j shown that, though there was no evi- ! dence of injury externally, over the right-hand side of the brain there was a widespread, shallow collection of [ blood externally there had been no 1 evidence of damage to the brain tissue. The cause of death Was coma due to cerebral compression caused by a slowly-spreading haemorrhage. Tills type of liaeinorhage was usuailj due to injury. The injury need not necessarily be a severe one and could be caused by a fall. Mr 1). S. Wylie, F.R.C.S., said in evidence said that on October 26, deceased waited on him complaining of headaches in the right side of the head as the result of striking his head on a piece of wood. There was no evidence of injury except a bruise. On November 4 deceased was still complaining of headaches, and also of sickness. Deceased was advised to enter hospital, and entered a private hospital on the same day. Deceased made a statement that the injury Was {lie result of a blow with a closed iist. Witness described deceased’s condition in hospital, the attendance of Drs. Monro and Chisholm, and deceased’s subsequent death in a condition of coma. The injury could have been caused by a fall or a blow, not necessarily a hard one. On a young man such a blow would have no elfect at all. On account of the man’s age and the absence of signs of localised trouble, consideration of an operation was put on one side. Mrs Hera Akuira gave evidence that, on October 22, she Was one of four (persons returning to Mangawhata from Palmerston North. fc>he Avent to deceased’s and deceased said he would take her home later. After about a quarter of an hour, Avituess’s brother-in-IaAV called and asked Avitness to go home. The brother-in-la.Av took hold of Avitness’s arm and deceased tried to separate them. In the struggle deceased slipped and his head struck the table. Witness saiv no bloivs struck. Deceased Avas a very active man for his age; he did not appear to be affected by the headaches. Later, deceased said that the brother-in-IaAV had hit him. Witness kneAv that that Avas not so. Witness had been telling the brother-in-law all the time in the struggle not to hit deceased. The fall against the table caused a dreadful blow. John Matai, aged 11, son of deceased, described lioav Isaac Akuira had visited deceased’s home asking the previous witness to go home. Deceased told Isaac Akuira to leave the previous witness alone. Isaac Akuira hit deceased on the right side of the head. Deceased fell on the floor near, near a table. Deceased tried to strike the other Avith a stick a.nd did so on the hand. Witness could not 6ay if deceased struck the table. Witness Avas sure Isaac Akuira struck deceased. Isaac Akuira, brother-in-law of Mrs Hera Akuira, gave evidence as to his going to deceased’s house to bring liis sister-in-IaAV home. She said she AA-as not coming home then. Witness caught her by the hand ami told her she had to come. Witness picked up her handbag Avith the other hand. Deceased Avas sitting on a box and got up, saying: “Don’t hurt Sally.” As he Avas standing up he slipped on the floor. The Coroner: Did you lnt lump—No. i did not. . Proceeding, witness said deceased fell on his knees to the floor. In falling his head struck the table. AN itness could not remember any struggle Avith deceased. He Avas sure there Avas none. When deceased stood up he struck witness Avith a stick. There Avas no struggle Avith the old man, and deceased must liaA r e imagined witness had hit him. Witness then left, deceased chasing him Avith a broom. Witness Avent back that night to apologise for “making a fuss in deceaseds house. Deceased Avould not hear of it and tlireAV a box at Avitness. This concluded the evidence. The Coroner said the evidence Avas very conflicting and he had not the slightest doubt that the cause of death Avas contributed to in an altercation at deceased’s residence. From the evidence of Mr Wvlie, as to the statement deceased had made to him, very grave suspicion arose that the cause of death Avas a Moav received in an altercation. That Avas contradicted by other AVitnesses, but in the speaker’s judgment he Avas inclined to believe that the injury Avas sustained by deceased through a bloAv on the head but, he did not think, given Avith any intention of giving the grave injury Avliich had resulted. The Coroner then delivered his verdict as previously stated.