A FAMILY TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1926, Page 15

A FAMILY TRAGEDY.

ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO KILL THE AWAIIURI SENSATION. FURTHER CHARGE OF ARSON. PRISONER SENT FOR TRIAL. Ej Telegraph.—Press Association. Palmerston N., Last Night. Arising out of the sensation at Awahuri on the night of February 10, Ernest Taniwha Sutherland, a half-caste Maori, was charged at the Police Court with attempting. to kill his wife, Rangianaua Sutherland, with wilfully setting fire to the dwelling of his father-in-law, Richard Drummond, and with assaulting his mother-in-law, Ngaere Drummond, and causing her actual bodily harm.

Senior-Detective Quirke, for the police, said that Mrs. Sutherland had been contemplating separation from her husband, and proceedings were to have been taken in the Feilding Court Ihe day following the alleged assault. About midnight on February 10, Mrs. Sutherland, with her mother and father, wilh whom she was living, was awakened by a noise and by flames. As the result of injuries received Mrs. Sutherland was admited to the Palmerston hospital the following day, and remained there until May 29. Even now she was not yet properly well. Mrs. Drummond, as the result of her injuries, had been in hospital for a little over a fortnight. The case was quite a simple one, the accused had lost his head and resorted to violence.

Rangianaua Sutherland stated in evidence that Sutherland had been living apart from her in a hut a mile from her father’s home. At midnight she heard a noise outside her father’s home and was making an investigation when her husband approached and struck her several blows with a blunt instrument and then made off into the night. While in hospital witness received a letter from her husband asking for forgiveness, and pleading for a reconciliation. Richard Drummond said that on being awakened, he went outside and found sacks and old clothes burning under his house. On his pulling them out Sutherland struck witness with a garden hoe. Continuing his evidence the witness said that later his wife appeared with blood streaming from her face. Sutherland also pointed something at witness and threatened to shoot him. Witness chased accused who disappeared. AH this time the house was steadily burning and was soon razed to the ground.

The police evidence showed that accused admitted placing burning sacks under the building but denied that he intended to do any harm. Accused pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence.

Accused was then charged with assaulting Mrs. Drummond and causing her actual bodily harm, and with wilfully setting fire to the dwelling house of Richard Drummond.

After the same witnesses’ depositions as in the first charge had been put in, the accused pleaded not guilty of both counts and was committed for trial.