MAORI ACCUSED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 July 1939, Page 8

MAORI ACCUSED

SEQUEL TO FATAL MOTOR SMASH SERIES OF SERIOUS CHARGES. ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER & ATTEMPTED MURDER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WHANGAREI, July 12. On June 16, it is alleged, William Pera Paki, aged 26, a Maori, drove a motor car up and down the main street of Okaihau. His car, in which he was accompanied by his little son, collided with a car drawn up on the side of the road. The occupant, Mrs Annie Evelyn Marsh, was so badly injured that she died in hospital at Kawa Kawa next morning. Paki’s son was seriously injured, and is still running a temperature, Mrs Marsh’s three-year-old daughter escaped injury. Paki, after the collision, was discovered with a cut throat, and taken to hospital.

The sequel of the tragedy was heard in the Kaikohe Court today, when Paki was charged with attempting suicide attempting to murder his son e and unlawfully causing the death of Mrs Marshy thereby committing man • slaughter. In evidence it was alleged that accused went to a boarding-house and tried to induce his wife, who was living apart from him, to return. She refused, whereupon Paki went into a garage, took a lodger’s car, placed the boy on the’ seat alongside him and dashed away. The car was driven at a speed estimated at over 70 miles an hour and passed the boarding-house three of four times. On the last occasion the car swerved as it was approaching Mrs Marsh’s car, which was drawn up on the side of the road.

One witness said accused seemed to run deliberately at the car. Others said that the car appeared out of control. On one occasion it narrowly missed a bakehouse verandah post. A surfaceman, whose car had been taken by Paki, said that he met accused with blood coming from a wound in the throat. When told that the woman would probably die, and asked why he did it, Paki replied: “It’s done; that’s the finish.” Dr Frengley, superintendent of the Kawa Kawa Hospital, said that accused showed no sign of liquor when admitted, nor any mental abnormality during his stay in hospital. The hearing was adjourned.