Maori Murder at Kawakawa.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2952, 26 November 1900, Page 2

Maori Murder at Kawakawa.

Per Press Association. GISBONRE, November 24

News has just been received that a murder has been committed at Kawakawa, beyond the East Cape. It is stated that a number of natives were carousing last night, and that this morning one Maori was discovered lying dead, a little distance from the pah. His head was all “broken to pieces.” His name was Petera Houkamau, and he was one of the principal men of the district. The natives state that they remember nothing of what happened. November 25. Constable Smith, of Port Awanui, has received the following message from Mr W. Lyddle, a storekeeper at Kawakawa ; “ The body of a Maori man was found on the beach above high-water mark. The face was covered with blood, and blood was on the stones under his head. He was lying on his face, and those that found him turned him over. I expect there should be an inquest, and think you had better come up at once.” Kawakawa is 30 miles from Port Awanui. the nearest police station, and the road is only traversable by daylight. Constable Smith and native Constable Gerrard

left at an early hour this morning for • the scene of the tragedy, where they are expected to arrive at 10 a.m. Detective Henderson also left. Gisborne early this morning, having a three days’ ride in front of him. At first it was thought that the native’s death might have been the result of an accident, probably through his falling from his horse, but that theory is discounted by the fact that the distance between the publichouse where the carouse is alleged to have been held and the native pah was only about 200yds, and the natives were travelling on foot. According to the native messenger, the body of Houkamau was found with the skull fractured over the eye. The deceased native, Petera Houkamau, was one of the leading chiefs of the Ngajiporou tribe. Either he or his brother received the mantle of the tribe as successor to the late Major Ropata. His death has caused a great sensation among the natives of the East. Coast.