ROBBED WITH VIOLENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 12

ROBBED WITH VIOLENCE

THE , f RUATOREA SENSATION. SADDLER ROUGHLY HANDLED. THREE MAORIS WITH A GUN. ACCUSED ALL PLEAD GUILTY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] GISBORNE. Friday. Ones of the most sensational stories told in a Police Court for years was unfolded at Ruato'rea on Wednesday when three Maoris, Ihimera Patunaua, ITuka Takaroa and Manahi Hukunuku, appeared on it charge of robbery with personal violence. Tho victim was a pakeha saddler ramod Albert Edward Orange. Giving evidence Orange stated that after closing his. shop about 7.30 p.m. on March 27 he went to his bedroom behind the shop. He had about 23s in silver and 13 £1 notes in his pocket. Ife lay reading until about 8.45 p.m.. when he put out tho lamp and . went to sleep. Peoplo coming from the pictures woke him up. Shortly afterward, lis heard • someone approach, and heard a Maori call out "Bert." The accused, Huka Takaroa, had worked "for him about two months at tho beginning of the year, and during that timo camo to know him as "Bert." Ho also know what amount of business witness was doing. As far as witness knew the only person who addressed Jam a.; "Bert" was Huka Takaroa, and it appeared to bo accused's voice calling out. Lured to tho Shop Door. Witness said he took no notice of the visitors, but finally got tired and called out to ask what they wanted. One of those outside said something about a saddle and witness got up, putting on his trousers containing tho money. He opened tho front door of tho shot) and saw a Maori, who said: " Mr. Orange, I have saddle for'you to repair." Ho went away to where their horses were fastened to a rail and brought a saddle back. Witness examined the saddle and identified the one in Court as tho same on* Continuing, witness said the Maori stated that lie had another saddle, and walked round to the opposite side of the shop. Witness was waiting for him to bring the saddle when two masked men walked in. Ono was a short, dark Maori with a mask tied ovr his face to the bridge of his nose. The other was a very tall Maori, similarly masked. Tho taller Maori had a double-barrelled gun with him. which he presented at witness. The short Maori started fumbling about witness' pockets, and witness told him to cut that game out. Tho tall Maori pressed tho gun into witness' chest and said: "Up with your hands. 'Don't make a noise or I'll blow a hole through you. This is not a joke. We want money." Knocked Into Insensibility. To put then: off, said witness, ho told them he had no money. The man with the gun said: "Grab him." The shorter one grabbed witness, at the same time giving him a terrific blow on the mouth, bruising his mouth inside and out. Witness struggled to prevent thom frdni robbing him. He then received another blow behind tho ear and fell to the floor, where the samo Maori put his knee on witness' chest and started to strangle him, which lie very nearly accomplished. Witness became unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness he crawled on his hands and knees to the door, which was now- shut. He went into tiie bedroom and returned with a light to find a big pool of blood where ho had been lying. He then realised what had happened, and a search of his pockets revealed the fact that he had been robbed. Later witness struggled to the police station and gave a description of the assailants, to the police. Witness said he had not vet. recovered from tlie assault. He had not been able to work sinc» and had not eaten anything. Arrests Eilected at Pa. Inspector Eccles, who was at Ruatorea at the time, said a constable reported thp matter to him. At Orange's shop witness found ' a pool of blood, and bootmarks round it denoting a struggle. Orange gave a description of his assailants to Constable Neale, who, from his local knowledge, was enabled to name two of the accused. Witness proceeded with two constables t > the Whenuakura Pa, where they found the two accused, Takaroa and Hukunuku, wrestling. Witness separated them and tho constable searched the house, finding the double-barrelled guns. Witness interviewed Patunaua. who made a statement and produced 5s 3d from his pockets, saving that was' his share of the proceeds Accused admitted that a gun produced, ono of thoso found by witness, was the one used in the assault. • Tho thr'je accused pleaded guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence.