FOUR INJURED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23375, 17 June 1939, Page 14

FOUR INJURED

SENSATION IN NORTH MAORI AND A CAR COLLISION ROAD - INCIDENTS AT OKAIHAU [nT TELEGRAPH —OWN COUUKSI'ONIH'.NT] KAIKQHE, Friday A sensational incident, in which a Maori labourer. William Paki, aged 26, figured, occurred at Okaihau this afternoon. Paki for some years has been living apart from .his wife, a white woman. Mrs. Paki had custody of their only child, a hoy named Billy, who is four years of age. At about 1.30, p.m. Paki visited his wife at the Okaihau hoarding-house, where she is working, and requested her to return and live with him. She refused and it is alleged that he threatened to take his own life and also that of his son. The man then left the house with the child and took a motor-car belonging to Mr. N. R. AbsOlum, of. Kaitaia, from the boarding-house garage. He placed the boy on the front seat beside, him and drove through the Okaihau township at a fast rate.. Speeding Back and Forth

Some five minutes later Paki returned and again went into the boarding-house, leaving the child in the car. He returned to the car shortly afterward and drove oil again. Four times he passed back and forth through the township at a high speed. Attempts were made to stop the man without success. Each time he passed the boarding-house lie called out to his wife, "Will you come back to me.?", .

Mrs. H. Marsh, of Rangiahua, drove into Okaihau in a small saloon car with her daughter Dawn, aged three. Shortly after she arrived Paki passed in the car he was driving, and a stone flew up from the road and shattered a window of Mrs. Marsh's car. She noted the number and later set off in the direction of Kaikohe. A Violent Impact

Mrs. Marsh had passed the boardinghouse and was travelling at a moderate pace when Paki approached from the rear. His car struck the small sedan and Mrs. Marsh and her daughter were both injured, the former seriously. Paki's son was also seriously injured.

The impact was terrific and the back of the smaller car was completely driven in. It was carried along some 40yds before being pushed aside. Paki continued on in his car, which was also damaged, for about a-quarter of a mile. When the car stopped he got out and attempted to take his own life by cutting his throat with a razor. Soon after he entered a house by the roadside and from there telephoned to his sister-in-law, saying that lie had "done in" Billy and himself. Care of the-Injured

By this time several residents had reached his car and found the boy Billy unconscious in the front seat. They carried him back to the settlement, followed by Paki, who had attempted to staunch the wound in his throat. Dr. N. G. McLean, of Kaikohe, and Dr. G. .T. Frengley, of Kawakawa, were called immediately and arrived with Constable D. Robertson, of Kaikohe, and the Bay of Islands hospital ambulance.

All the four injured persons were removed to the Bay of Islands Hospital, Paki being under police supervision. At seven o'clock this evening Mrs. Marsh's condition was critical, her chief injuries being to the head. Paki's son Billy is in a serious state with a fractured skull. Dawn Marsh was well enough to be taken to her home. Paki's wound in the neck has been attended to and his condition is not serious.

Paki was employed on public works at Mangamuka until a few weeks ago.