A MAORI SENSATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7435, 23 June 1902, Page 3

A MAORI SENSATION.

SUICIDE IN A PAH. j SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, j At about nine o'clock tibia morning 1 , G. P. Mutu, a prominent Maori at Tuabawi Palh, near Raiapoi, committed suicide 'by shooting himself, •with a fowling-pdece, w through the heart. Yesterday (he and! his wife spent the day at a relative's at Waakukii, anidt so far aa can. be gathered ibis demeamiouir did not lead to amy suspicions that he contemplated making away with, himself. Shortly before eight o'clock this morning he called up a young Native named Walter Pohio, who had Jivedl with him; for about ten. years, and told ham; to ga to Kaiapoi for some meat and .groceries. Pohio slept in a small cottage withini a chain of dleeeasedi's ihiouse, amd, hie iiad' the Isatter's double-barrelled! gun in the place. Just as Pohio was leaving for Ivaiopoi deceased asked him for the key of true cottage. Pohio replied! that tihe place was uiMookted, and felt some surprise at deceased asking for t'he key, as ihe had. mot entered the place for a considerable itinae, and there did not apipeaa: any reason for 'Ms going- tihere. Shortly before nine o'clock deceased -after walking about in front of the place for some time iwas seen by Miss Cossgrove, who lives on the opposite side of the road 1 , to enter the cottage. ■ Tihis apparently was /'the last time he . was seen alive. About half an hour later Pohio returned from Kaiapoi and entering the cottage noticed a strong smell of gunpowder smoke. Going to the next room he found deceasedi stretched afc full length on 'his back on the floor, with blood flowing from his breast, quite dead. Tihe police and Dr Murray were immediately summoned from 'Kaiapoi. Deceased was lying on a carpet which had been partly spread on the floor apparently by deceased. Near him was lying a double-barrelled ,gun with two discharged cartridge cases in it. Two load-, edi cartridges were found in his coat pocket, and it is stated that he purchased the ammunition on Saturday at Woodend. Five letters were found spread in a row on the mantelshelf in the same xoom^ all in deceased's handwriting, and addressed to different (persons in the pah. They were written in Maori, and dated June 21, 22 and 23, the one of the latter date having evidently been 'hurriedly written, this morning. The deceased, who was about fifty years of age, has for years been prominent -at all Native functions. He was trained for the ministry by the Rev W. J. Stack, and was "ultimately ordained, ind for several years acted as incumbent of St Stephen's Maori Ohurch at the pah. Some years ago, however, ihe resigned from the ministry, but continued his residence in the pah. He lost his only son, a promtekyg lad, several years agOj and four or five years ago his wife died, bub he married again. He has a daughter, Mrs W. Urn, wife of Lieutenant Uru, who is in England with the Coronation Contingent, and this mother is still alive, and resided with him. ' The occurewice naturally caused much.excitement in the pah, and the cries of the women could be heard for a considerable distance.* 'Much sympathy -was shown with the deceased's aged mother, who was almost frantic with grief. At the inquest this afternoon, held before Mr H. W. Bishop, District Coroner, the jury returned a verdict that deceased died from a gunshot wound, self-inflicted while temporarily insane.