MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

Southland Times, Issue 25680, 24 May 1945, Page 4

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

MAORI TRUCK DRIVER IN COURT (P.A.) WHANGAREI, May 23. As the outcome of an affray at Pakotai on April 2, when three pakehas and several Maoris were involved in a fight’, resulting in one pakeha dying shortly after his admission to the Whangarei Hospital suffering from severe head injuries, a charge of manslaughter was brought in the Magistrate’s Court today. William Martin, aged 21, a Maori truck driver, was charged that he unlawfully killed William Amesen, thereby committing manslaughter. Ernest Arnesen, brother of the deceased, a farm labourer of Dargaville, said that on April 2 he left home with his brothers William and Norman and went to his property at Awarua, near Kaikohe. On the truck he had a case containing four dozen bottles of ale, which belonged to his dead brother. After working all day on the property splitting fence posts, two bottles of beer being consumed, they left before sunset with a full truck load of fence posts. -The road home led through Pakotai, where a stop was made because of truck trouble. Similar trouble had been experienced three or four months previously at the same place, and his brother William said they would thank the Maoris who had helped previously, and if they wanted a drink they were welcome to it. With William he talked to three Maoris. William asked them if they would like a drink. Two accepted the invitation and William gave them a bottle, one opening it with his teeth. FIGHT STARTED More Maoris arrived shortly afterwards, and a couple of bottles were taken without permission said the witness. On checking the load before starting they discovered that all the beer, except two bottles, had gone. There should have been 40 bottles. On questioning the Maoris a fight' was started by them. The witness was knocked down, punched and kicked. He was attacked by three or four. He saw William lying on the ground behind the truck with three Maoris holding him down. He regained his feet and said they had better get away, as the Maoris were too many for them. As the Maoris were shouting the witness and his brothers armed themselves with pieces of wood as protection. After driving 300 yards, they waited for about 20 minutes. Discovering that a guitar, hats and shirts were missing from the truck and that the lights would not operate, he went to a nearby house and asked for the guitar. They took with them a spade, an axe and a piece of wood, which they kept concealed. The Maoris again began to fight. William was felled by a stone thrown, it was believed, by a Maori and the witness had his cheek fractured. The case is not concluded.