MOKAU TRAGEDY.

Northern Advocate, 23 June 1920, Page 2

MOKAU TRAGEDY.

INQUEST CONCLUDED.

THE ,1 URY '8 I-TNDING

klDhlt CONCERNING LIQUOR

At ihe conclusion of the evidence in the Mokau inquest this afternoon, the magistrate, Air. F. H. Levien, S.M., speaking for the Acting-Coroner, Mr. .!. D. McKcnzie, directed the jury to retire and consider their verdict. It was their July, he said, to had when, where, and by what means deceased came by his death. The two iirsi points were fa illy clear. In regard to the third ' point, it was also clear that deceased was shot. It remained for them to determine by whom. There were three possible answers. There might be other points iv their minds, but he thought ii would guide them if he stated the three points: — First. —Was the deceased shot by himself? Second.—Was he shot by some person or persons unknown? Third.—Was he shot by some person or persons known? He had written these points down to assist the jury in arriving at the verdict which it was tbeii> duty to fiad, and he handed them the note he had made for their guidance. The jury retired. After an absence of about ten. mm;- --; utes they returned the following verdict: — L ' "We find that the 'deceased, Takariki Kaupeka, came to his death on , the 30th May, 1920, at Mokau, from a gunshot wound, inflicted by some. , person ov, persons unknown, other than the deceased. We would also like to add that wo consider the undue use of liquor of liquor was a cohr tributory factor to the act."