Sequel To Death Of Woman At Bexhaven

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1944, Page 4

Sequel To Death Of Woman At Bexhaven

KP.A.) GISBORNE, This Day. The two-day search for the 15-year-old Maori boy, Tai Matu, who had been missing from Bexhaven station, Tokomaru Bay, since Thursday night, when the body of Mrs Lois Rosamond Mill, aged 39, was found under her bed with her head battered and a belt drawn tightly round her throat, concluded late on Saturday with the discovery of the youth's body in a scrub-covered gully 300 yards from the homestead. There was a gunshot wound in the boy’s head and a shotgun beside the body containing an exploded cartridge. Several live rounds were found in the boy's hip pocket. A search has been conducted for a weapon which might have caused the injuries to Mrs Mill’s head, but so far without result. An inquest was opened before Mr E. L. Walton. S.M. Mr George Mill said he last saw his wife alive about 12.30 on the day of the tragedy. The inquest was adjourned. It is thought that Matu had been dead for more than 24 hours. A confession is alleged to have been made by Matu to another boy working on the Bexhaven station. This boy saw Matu about midday on Friday and, on being questioned, Matu is said to have thrown some light on the crime saying that all he was looking for was cartridges for his shotgun. When asked why he killed Mrs Mill, he said he did not know. However, he indicated his intention of shooting himself, and it was not long after that a member of the police search party thought he heard the discharge of a gun not far from the homestead. The body of Matu was found in a scrub-covered gully about 300 yards from the homestead. There was a shotgun wound above the right eye. The discovery of the body was made about 3.45 p.m. on Saturday, and the gully was so steep that it required the assistance of several men and much time and patience to get it out.