MAORI MURDER AT BLEFHEIM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6054, 13 April 1881, Page 5

MAORI MURDER AT BLEFHEIM.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.! Blenheim, Tuesday. An* inquest on the body of Ropoama Penipeni commenced at Picton yesterday before Mr. J. Allen, Coroner. The principal evidence taken was that of Nihana Pakiri, who deposed : I kuew deceased aud accused, I was at Ropoama's house on Saturday night. Piawiri and Ropoama were having words. I do not know what they were wrangling about. I saw Rawiri strike at Ropoama. They then fought, and I parted them. They had no weapon of any kind in their hands. I went home at 10 o'clock. Did not see any more quarreling on that night. Ropoama was all right when I went home. After I had been home some time, I went outside and heard a noise. I walked down and saw Ropoama lying on his back. I picked him up in my arms. He was bleeding from his mouth. He did not take any notice of me when I picked him up. His wife ran at me. She tried to strike her husband, but I pushed her away. Rawiri was close alongside. I took Rapoama to my house, and he never spoke after. When we found he was so bad the next day we washed him, and at 2 o'clock sent for the doctor. Mary Rapoama saiv her husband after he was brought to my house. She dressed him. John Bremen, a half-caste lad, deposed: I was at Ropoama's house on Saturday night. Rawiri and Ropoama were fighting outside when I saw them. Rawiri struck Ropoama and knocked him down. He struck him again in his side wheu he was getting up, and when Ropoama was going to his house Rawiri struck him in the back. I could not see whether Ropoama was hurt. L went away for a few minutes and came back, when I saw Ropoama coming up to his ■wife. Rawiri got up and struck him. This was in the orchard. When Rawiri struck Jttopoama lie fell with his head against a stump. He did not get up again. I was close to them, Nihana came and lifted Ropoama's head up on his lap. I did not see Ropoama attempt to strike a blow. Ido not know the cause of tb_3 quarrel on Saturday. Deceased and prisoner appeared on friendly terms, but had been drinking. The inquest will be resumed to-day. The inquest on the body of Ropoama was resumed at 10.30 a.m. to-day. Mr. Sinclair, the Crown Prosecutor, attended on behalf of the C.tDwn. Dr. Scott deposed as to the the body, and stated that the death was compression of the brain, caused *by a blow near the right temple. John Grace, a half-caste lad, gave evidenc as to threats made by the woman during the fight to kill her husband, and' stated that the cause of the quarrel was a pipe. The witness repeatedly contradicted himself. The examination lasted till 1 when an adjournment was made for luncheon. Over six more witnesses are to be called. The whole affair, owing to the reluctance on the part of the natives to give any material testimony, is one of exceeding difficulty; consequently, there is doubt whether the inquest will terminate to-day. Jbx telegraph.—own correspondent.] Blenheim, Tuesday. The particulars relative to the Waikawa tragedy are as follow :—Waikawa Pa is disl tant three and a half miles from Picton, and contains a population of sonieGO ormore, fairly well circumstanced Maoris. From information received from sources on the spot, it would appear that a "house-moving" was taking place on Saturday afternoon, and the contractor for the job, finding that assistance wonld be greatly accelerated on the part of the Maoris by supplying them with some liquor, sent for about ten gallons of beer to Picton, on which it would seem the natives made haste to be merry. At dusk in the evening the community were attracted to the residence of one Ropoama Penipeni, a quiet though intemperate Maori. On arrival at his residence he was seen struggling with his wife, Mary Ropoama, and his nephew, Rawiri. They were beating him with their fists, whilst, from some cause no one saw, Ropoana struck either one or other. Some Maoris interfered, the fight was discontinued for some time, only to be renewed shortly after, when a blow from Rawiri knocked his uncle down, his head very probably coming in contact with a tree stump in the orchard where the fight took place. Whether this was so or not, it. is clear that Ropoama never spoke afterwards, and from that minute gradually sank away until he died on Sunday afternoon. Of the origin of the fight the inquest, so far as it went on Monday, revealed nothing, but there can be little doubt that an intirnacy has for some time past existed between Rawiri and his aunt, and that the state of his domestic affairs were suspected by Ropoama. The popular voice therefore ascribes the quarrel to have originated out of the husband having discovered such facts as to leave no false impression on his mind of the relations existing between the two. On receipt of information Sergeants Scanlan and ICeily immediately proceeded to the pa. On arrival they were told that Rawiri had left the pa, and gone in the direction of Picton. The police, fearing that Rawiri might endeavour to escape down the sounds in one of the Maori boats, went to the beach, and took out the oars and sails lying about, and placed them in charge of Dan Love, a half-caste, whom they held responsible for anything that might happen. The police then set to work to search the pa and adjoining scrub, but did not sxicceed in finding any trace of Rawiri. Towards midnight Sergeant Scanlan and the others returned to town, leaving Sergeant Keily and a young fellow named Frank Godfrey to watch the pa, it being anticipated that Rawiri would come in the i early morning for provisions. The night was cold, which not suiting the energetic disposition of Sergeant Iveily, lie proceeded to an old shed about a mile from the pa, which had been searched on the previous evening. On reaching the shed, Keily and Godfrey groped their way inside, and were walking over the hay that \vas ,lying about it when Godfrey uttered an ejaculation; and said that he felt something under his feet. A match was, therefore, struck, and Sergeant Keily stooped down, aud, lifting aside the hay, found the object of their search buried beneath it at a depth of three feet with a hay rope twisted round his head for the purpose of protection against injury from anyone walking on him, and to enable him to breathe freely. He then and there arrested Rawiri on the charge of killing Ropoama, and brought him up to Picton, where he arrived at 4 o'clock on Monday morning. The greatest praise is given on all sides to Sergeants Keily and Scanlan for the energy displayed by them in securing the person of the alleged murderer Rawiri. Rawiri, the prisoner, is a young man, about 25 years of age. He has a not unintelligent countenance, and is generally considered to be about the best of the Waikawa Maoris. He conducts himself very quietly, but appears downcast at the unfortunate position in which he has been placed by his conduct. Mary Ropoama, wife of the dead man and supposed paramour of the prisoner, is a pleasant-featured native of about 40 years o£ age, who bears herself like a stoic under the circumstances. She has been arrested on the charge of aiding and abetting Rawiri in killing her husband.