Ongaroto Murder.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 170572, 4 August 1921, Page 4

Ongaroto Murder.

RE-TRIAL CONTINUED

Par Press Association

HAMJ.DTUiN. Augusta. The re-trial of Hakaria Te Kahu for tlio murder of Richard Elliot at Ong-i----roto on Easter Sunday was continued at the Supreme Court yesterday morning, . before Mr Justice Stringer. The Court was crowded. The prisoner was calm and his appearance did not betoken severe mental strain. During liis incarceration lie put on a good deal of weight. Campbell Hamilton gave evidence that ho discovered a dead duck and a trail of blood. Next day Te Kahn told the police to take the lead, but did not stop when lie came to the bloodstains, A constable pulled him up and asked him if he knew what the blood stains were. He replied that he did not. know. The prisoner afterwards remarked to witness in Maori that if ’t had not been for the blood stains tie police would not have known. Something unusual occurred some days later. Witness asked prisoner if he had changed a £5 or £lO note at Mokai and he replied that he lmd not —the two £5 notes lie cashed were his own money. John Clarke, accountant, said that on Good Friday he put: two £5 notes in Elliott’s pay envelope and also paid To Kahn £9 14s, including one £5 note. Frederick Young, a now witness, and the guard at Taupo railway, said ho saw Brady, the foreman, deliver a pay envelope to Elliot and had on seveial occasions seen a brown leather wallet in Elliot’s possession, similar to the one produced in Court'. Three other new witnesses, member's pf Elliot’s gang, said that Elliot liflished work at 2.30 on Easter Saturday and did not change money lor any of them during the day. One had 'seen Elliot with a, wallet pimilar to that produced, but had never seen Te Kahn with one. The spot where the gang worked was lonely. Elliot was not likely to have done business with anybody but the gang, ns there were no other people in the vicinity. Clyde Norman, a member of the twoup school at Mokai on Easter Monday, said he changed a £lO note for To Kahu. Prisoner took a £1 note from a brown wallet, similar to the one produced. Witness later changed the note at Putaruru. Geojgo iSeymour, said that on Easter Saturday night 1 e Kahu and Sarah Heropeka visited the Mokai Hall where a social was in progress, and when aked liie price for admission, he said it was too much. Witness eventually let them m trot:. Witness saw the prisoner at the two-up school, take a JtliO note from a brown wallet and heard Te Kahu say that when the £lo was gone he had more. It was not true that witness liad been an uusueceslul suitor lor Sarah Herepeka’s hand. Robert Davis, bushmnn, saiu that he won £2 from the prisoner at two-up. The prisoner tendered a £o note. Joseph Thornton, bush loreman, said he saw the prisoner with two £5 notes at the two-up ring. Some Jays later, when he was assisting to search for Elliott’s body, lie picked up two empty, cartridges. Selim Reppar, said that on Easter Monday prisoner purchased goods paying a £o note. Next day lie banked the money. Frank Caterer, in charge of the Mokai Post Office said that among the notes remitted to the chief office, on Tuesday, were two £5 notes. He gave their numbers. Constable Wright detailed the searlh for -the body. The rase is procecdi ig. and is expected to last till Fridav.