TRIAL OF RUA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11730, 21 June 1916, Page 2

TRIAL OF RUA.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June 20. At Rna's trial John Cullen, Commissioner of Police, stated that as he approached Rua, who had informed a constable that ho wished to see -witness alone, the prophet ran _ away. Constables struggled with him and as tho latter would not walk witness gave instructions that he should be frogmarched. This was done, ajid ( a shot rang out from a gully where * there were no police. Ho saw 0110 baton only. There was no flying of batons. It llua had listened to tho first appeal lives might have been saved. Nothing; -was said by witness scare Rua.. Sub-Inspector Johnston desferved great credit for grabbing Rua when ho did, otherwise the eonsoquenoes would have been much worse. Rua's object in trying to escape evidontly was to get into tho bush. Mr Tolc here put in a petition to tho Prime Minister, signed by Paora Kingi and twenty-three others, to the effect that if Rua was called upon to answer charges for which he had been punished a- gun would ""bo fired as a challenge. Commissioner Cullcn said ho expected hostile action when he went to the settlement. He gave orders to tho mon not to shoot at any unarmed Maoris. -Ho did not desiro any hostile action on the part of tho police. Twenty-two guns, one SO.'i riiio and a revolver, found after ili.> affray, were produced iu Court.