THE VICTORIA VALLEY CASE

Northland Age, Volume 14, Issue 30, 5 April 1917, Page 5

THE VICTORIA VALLEY CASE

STARTLING EVIDENCE AT INQUEST The inquest was continued on Wednesday, March 28th, before Mr H. 11. Thompson, Acting-Coroner, and a jury of six, regarding the death of Mitai Aperahama, a young Maori, who, it was alleged, was murdered on the night of August 14,1913. Detective Cummings appeared for the police, and Mr W. Hewitt for the eight natives arrested on a charge of murdering the deceased. They are:—Eru Patuone Aperahama (father of deceased), Hura Hohaia, Hcta Aperahama, or Nelson, Te Koni Heteraka, Rameka Mawene, and three women—Hermaimia TeKoni, Ripeka. Aperahama, and Mararna Horima. Mr J. Berglian acted as interpreter. Natives from all the surrounding districts gathered, and the Courthouse was crowded during the proceedings. Dr. P. Lunn gave evidence that on March 7 he was present at the exhumation of a body at Victoria Valley. He found the skeleton of an adult Maori, under 30 years of age. No bones were fractured or dislocated. The tissues were decomposed, and only the bones remained. Witness stated that heavy pressure on the abdomen or in that region might cause death. TOHUNGAISM ALLEGED Henry King, Maori Councillor, ofPeria, said he knew deceased, who was 21 years of age. Witness was present at a Maori meeting on August 30, 1913, at Victoria Valley to make inquiries regarding the death of a child, said to beduetotohungaisrn, and also regarding Mitai Aperahama, who was missing. There were present at the meeting, Eru Aperahama, deceased’s father, Te Koni Heteraka, Hura Hohia> Hcta Aperahama, Rantcka Mawene, and Hori Horima. Inquiry was made for Mitai. The latter’s father told witness he had been over to see his son at Whangaroa. Eru told witness that a most wonderful thing had happened at Victoria Valley.

Another meeting was called on March 5, 1917. Witness saw Hura Hohia the tlay before, and told hint lie had heard that Mitai was killed and buried. Eru said Mitai had disappeared into heaven like an angel. Another meeting was held that evening, and witness then asked Eru if it was a fact that Mitai was murdered and buried in the bush. He denied all knowledge, but later, Hcta Aperama stated that Mitai had been buried in the ground for years. At daybreak on the following day, March 6, they went into the bush. Hura Hohia and Heta showed where the body was buried. The earth was lifted and a coffin was found, the top only 6in from the surface. There was a rumour that it was expected the deceased would “rise again,” hence even the top of the coffin was not nailed. The coffin contained a human skeleton, wrapped in blankets. The Natives stated it was Mitai’s body, and that Heta had made the coffin. Witness added that Eru, deceased’s father, said they knocked the deceased down and held hint down. Mitai appeared to be going mad, and he died. CHILD EXPOSED AND DIES Henry William Wells, of Victoria Valley, gave similar evidence. He stated that Hariata Hura, who was now dead, had come to him just after the supposed date of Mitai’s death. She had her clothes tom off, and was bruised about the body. She complained that her infant child had been taken from her and thrown into the bush. He ordered the natives to go home and to behave. Next day Hariata recovered her child from the bush in a perished condition. Witness tried to help with hot water. The child was named Moses, and apparently the occurrence was due toTohungaism and religious fervour, the natives talking about “Moses and the bull rushes.” The child subsequently died. A meeting was held on August 30th, 1913, for an inquiry into its death by the Maori Council, and deceased’s father was warned to discontinue the practice of tohungaism. William Larkins and Tepana Hurarna gave corroborative evidence. The latter said Heta told him that Eru gave instructions to knock Mitai down, and when he was down, he was held down till he died. The coffin described by witness was shown in the Court. It is a box of the most crude description. The top is fitted into grooves, and not nailed. The timber is rotten.

Several witnesses gave evidence that the deceased was last seen alive in August, 1913, at the burial of a child. Martha Noble said that on the following that funeral she was told that Mitai had died during the night in the whare of one of the accused. When she went to the whare to see the body she was stopped by Heta Aperahama, one of the accused, who

said there had been trouble where deceased died. Eru, deceased’s father, told witness that Mitai had gone to the place where the sun rises. Another of the accused, Ripeka Aperahama, told her that Mitai had gone to Christchurch—not to Christ’s Church. The whare where Mitai died has since been burned.

Two children of one of the accused gave evidence that Mitai was knocked down and held down until he was dead. Hira Hone said Heta and Hura, two of the accused, told him that Mitai was buried in the bush, and showed him the spot. Wi Ngatawa stated that two years ago he was clearing the bush near the spot where Mitai was buried. He found two spades and a billhook. Heta and Hura said they buried Mitai with those tools. Timothy Heteraka, a native constable, gave evidence regarding the exhumation of the body. He stated that Hura and Heta said the body had been buried since the children died in August, 1913. Eru told witness he had given instructions to knock Mitai down, and then ordered all in the whare to hold him down." Hura Hohaia said he was holding Mitai down while Heta said he held them by the feet. Wit. ness was present when the Maoris made statements, and heard them say the statements were true. Hura and Heta told Detective Cummings where they had taken the body, and where Mitai died. They showed the part of the whare where they had taken the body out, and said that they had pulled it away on a sledge to the place where it was buried. Eru told witness that when he woke in the middle of the night of Mitai’s death he saw Mitai held up to the post of the whare by Te Koni Heteraka and another native, and then he was knocked down. All the accused were in the whare. Constable Sefton produced statements made by four of the accused, which went to show that during the night of August 13, 1914, Mitai was knocked down and held down until he died, and that they wrapped a shawl and a rug round him. Portions of the rug were produced in a decomposed state. After Mitai was dead, all went out except four, their heads covered with one shawl. A hole was cut in the whare, and the body taken out through it by Heta and Hura,who made a coffin, in which they placed the body. At the moment Mitai died all present in the whare were ordered by Hariata Hura to turn their backs to deceased and to close their eyes. After Mitai’s death they rubbed his body to try to bring him back to life. In his statement deceased’s father said he could see Mitai was dying when they were holding him down.

It was stated in evidence that one of the women accused sat astride of Mitai and held fast until he died.

Detective Cummings produced statements made by the eight persons arrested. ' In those statements, they all admitted that they helped to hold Mitai down, and that he died while being so held. The father of deceased, Eru, stated that he said to Mitai just when he was dying, “Oh, my son; oh, my son,” Witness explained that this was always said, among the Maoris, by a parent when a person is dying, Eru said that he would have liked his dear son to speak to him, but he did not, nor did he move after the Maoris got off him. Heta and Hua admitted in their statements that they made a box coffin, and took the body into the bush to where they buried him. J. Berghan, Native interpreter, gave evidence as to the correctness of translations of the statements.

The eight accused did not give evidence. After sitting for two and a half days the following verdict was returned by the jury:—

“That the said Mitai Aperahama died on or about August 14th 1913, in Victoria Valley; and that the eight persons arrested as well as Hariata Hura and Pari Horima now dead, and Hori Horima or George Karima, now at the war, on or about August 14th 1913, did cause the death of Mitai Aperahama by suffocation at Victoria Valley.” The eight Natives—Eru Patuone Aperahama, father of the deceased, Hura Hohaia, Heta Aperahama, or Nelson, Te Koni Heteraka, Rameka Mawene, three women—Hermaimia Te Koni, Ripeka Aperahama, and Marama Horima—were then charged, before Messrs. T. S. Houston and Edward Evans, with the murder of Mitai Aperahama. Evidence similar to that at the inquest was given. The trial of eight Prisoners already named was completed on Saturday. All being committed for trial. Prisoners’ solicitor asked that the case against some of them should be dismissed but the Court held ample evidence to commit for trial and reviewed the evidence. Application for bail of male accused was refused, the three females were granted bail. Evidence similar to that given at the Inquest was put forward at the trial. The accused who were not asked to plead reserved their defence.

The male prisoners left for Auckland by the S. S. Clansman this week and will come up for trial at the Supreme Court in May on the charge of murder.