ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER

Otago Witness, Issue 3298, 30 May 1917, Page 23

ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE. AUCKLAND, May 23. The trial of eight Maoris—five men and three women—on charges of manslaughter arising out of the death of a young Native at Victoria Valley, near Kaitaia, in August. 1913. commenced at the Supreme Court today before his Honor Mr Justice Stringer. The male accused are: Eru Patuone Apcrahama, father of the deceased; Hura Hohaia, Heta Lorima, Te Koni Hetaraka and Rameka Mowcne. the female accused being Ripeka Apcrahama, Ilemaima Te KonT, and Marama Horima. Mr Tole, for the Crown, said that towards the end of 1913 a rumour was spread among the Natives around Kaitaia that Mitai was missing, and a Maori council of the district made inquiries of certain of the accused. The matter was dormant till March, when more rumours were about to the effect that Mitai was dead and had been buried in a swamp. This led the council to hold an inquiry, at which the accused were present. Eru, after saying he did not know, admitted that his son" had disappeared "in a most marvellous way." Hura also said he knew nothing about the matter. Heta. after hesitating, said that Mitai had died and had been buried, and that he had helped with the burial. Afterwards Heta and Hura directed the council and the police to aspot where a coffin containing a skeleton was unearthed at a depth of about six inches. The skeleton, which was complete, had apparently been wranped in rugs. Later Eru gave an account of Mitai's death, and several of the accused made statements to the effect that they wore sleeping at nijrhft in a whare when they were awakened and Ri-ti ordered them to knock Mitai down. Mitai was then standing up, but they got h : m down upon the floor "iu! -at upon him. Some held his leers and arms, and one of the women (Hemaima) sat on his chest. She was told if he struggled to put all her woijrht. on. This treatment was kept UP for 15 or 20. minutes, and when accused desisted Mitai was apparently dead. Soma attempt was made to revive him. on the advice of a woman who was now dead, by placing rues over him in order to induce warmth. Next day flip body vns buried in a lonely soot, in a cofPn which Heta had made. The only explanation of the

whole extraordinary affair, concluded Mr role, was that Mitai was mad, and that ie was making towards some children who vere in the whare. A week be ore one, of Ce Koni's children had died, and there had ,een another death in the settlement both of which might have influenced the accused given by several witnesses on the lines of Mr Tolo's address.