Recent Gelignite Explosion

Te Puke Times, 16 September 1932, Page 2

Recent Gelignite Explosion

Accused Committed For Trial

At the Police Court yesterday morning, before Messrs F. Bostock and J,. E. Alexander, J.’sP., Tuaka Komene appeared on remand to answer a charge that on the 3rd September he did place gelignite beneath a house occupied by one, Thomas Beasley, with intent to do bodily harm to the said Thomaß Beasley. Detective-Sergeant Thompson, of Auokland, conducted the proseoution, and Mr H. 0. Cooney appeared for acoused. Thomas Beasley gave evidenoei that he was a native of Hokianga, and had been in this district for about three years. He had been married before he came here, but his wife had died. He married a Maori woman here according to Maori oustom. They had three children. On the birth of the last child he had been sent to get accused’s wife to look after his wife. Six weeks ago MrsKomer.e came to his home and had lived there sinoe. Accused came on the 6th August to get his wife back, but she would not go. On September 3rd Komene and Dick Robinson came to the house and the former again tried to get his wife to return to him. but she refused. Witness told Komene to get out or he would throw him out. Acoused, on going, called out that witness would not get out of the bouse that night, Witness rushed after him, but was pulled back by accused’s wife. That night be and the woman slept on tbe kitchen flpor. They were awakened by an explosion which smashed the floor plates and did other damage. Witness went for Constable Jaokson.

To Mr Cooney t Komene and his wife did him a good turn when his wife was ill. He afterwards visited Mrs Komene at her house. Komene was not present. His own wife had left him because of Mrs Komene. He admitted it was not a fair thing to get accused’s wife to live with him. He had hit Komene once when the latter oame to see him. He also admitted that he was a big strong man, and Komene a small man. He had served six weeks imprisonment for obstructing the polioe, and had been convicted for drunkeness and theft, Charles Kihi rini was also living in the same house with another woman. He had drunk home brew in the house, but denied that he had ever seen Mrs Komene drink beer.

Constable Jackson gave evidence concerning incidents on the night of the explosion. On the 6th August after returning from Beasley’s house with a,ecus ed, the latter said “That man hurt me very much. He break my heart also my children’s, My children crying for their mother and I also cry. If I shoot Beasley will I get hung ?”. The Constable stated he had explained to accused that he would get into Berious trouble if he did and advised him to leave Beasley and his wife alone. Komene was accustomed to using gelignite. He was a good typo of Maori and very distressed over his wife leaving him, Mr Cooney said that under ordinafy circumstances he would ask the Bench to dismiss the case with a view to lesser proceedings being instituted for he believed that Komene only intended to frighten Bensley. But ho had decided not to take the responsibility of asking th%ir Worships to take that course.

The Bench thefelipoh Ooliirhteted accused for trial, bail being fixed at