MURDER BY SAVAGES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14448, 7 November 1917, Page 5

MURDER BY SAVAGES.

THE TEN DAYS' SIEGE

(Elec. ; Tel. Copyright— -United Cress Assn.)

■■:■■■' Nov. 6. Tlie Bey. Mr Hall was murdered on the night of October 18, while touring Mornington Island, Hs was a New Zealander. The natives chopped his head off during his sleep . His horses returned to the mission, 'also' an old "gin" wearing Mr Hall's blood-stained singlet. r After Mr Owens was wounded, two women kept' the besieging natives at bay until faithful natives f rom the mission relieved them. . . ._.

\ (Special to the Herald.) - - '- CHRIS-ICHUfiCH, this day. Tlie Rev. Robert. Hall/ the- victim of the Morhingtoii .Island tragedy, •-. has relatives -m Christchurch. % His- wife was Miss Tohkirt, of Oamaru. Mr and •Mrs Hall went to! 'MorningtoV- Island 1 m 1914. the aboriginals, were in 7 ; a very priniitive state, but gbodi work was; 'done by the Halls and their assistants, Mr and Mrs Owens'! especially'' with, the children. ' Firearms'- were' then uhknoVn.'' Though the island witnessed-'- 1-lter-tribal fights, the missionaries were"' generally left alone. It was., not until they, read the news .m- yesterday's paper that Mr Hall's relatives knew there was anything amiss, though, there, had! been one or two suspicious .incidents lately. Mr Hall, who was '3B years of age, met his wife ut Adelaide College, South Australia, and after their marriage they undertook mission work at Weifa, m North Queensland, proceeding thence to Mornington Island m 1914. Mr Hall leaves two children, one five years old and the, other only eight months. These, along with Mr and Mrs Owen's children, aged four, years and a baby six months, must have, undergone the ten days' siege of the mission house hy- the -blacks,-"