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Waka Maori, Volume 11, Issue 9, 4 May 1875, Page 98

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European correspondents who have a knowledge of Maori are requested to be good enough to forward, their communications in both languages. To the Editor of the Waka Maori. Auckland, Sth March, 1875. My Friend, —Greeting. I am particularly anxious that the following account of the murder of the girl Henrietta, committed by Newton ? should be published in the JVaka 3£aori, so that the Native tribes of New Zealand may be correctly informed on the subject. About 10 o'clock on the night of Tuesday, the 13th of October, 1874, a young girl named Henrietta was

murdered at Kohimarama by Newton, a Ngapuhi native. The girl also belonged to Ngapuhi; so also did Mary Ann, her mother. Newton was a man of mature age, and related to the girl wlxom he murdered. The incentive was jealousy of a young man of Tapuika, belonging to the Arawa tribe, who was cohabiting with her. The evil feeling in the mind of Newton towards this girl, whom he had reared and befriended from her infancy, first arose as follows : On Tuesday night the girl was missing; Newton went in search of her, and fouud her in bed with her lover. Newton inquired, " Who are these lying here?" The man answered, "It is I and my own wife," but he did not rise up. Newton then returned to Mary Ann, the mother, and told her that Henrietta was with her lover. She told him to go again and search for her, and to bring her home quietly if he found her ; but he was not to hurt her, or lay a hand upon her; this Newton promised that lie would not do. Accordingly, about nine o'clock that evening, he went to look for her (again). She was returning from the house of a Pakeha, and singing as she went along. Newton, hearing her sing, followed her. She was then going to the house of her mother, Mary Ann. It was a dark and cloudy night. Newton overtook her, and led her about 200 yards away from the houses, when he threw her down upon the ground. She fell with her face downwards, and Newton, placing his knees between her shoulder-blades, wrenched her head backwards, and broke her neck, killing her outright—the head was only held on by the skin. Meanwhile, Henrietta's friend, Jane, fourteen years of age, was seeking for her, and, as she was proceeding towards the house where they all dwelt, she heard someone groaning. Going up to the place, she saw Henrietta lying face downwards upon the ground, with her head under Newton's knees. She was not yet dead, and the girl Jane, thinking she was seized with some passing illness, sat down by the side of her friend who was still groaning. Newton said angrily, "What want you here? Stand off! G-o away! G-o back to Mary Ann and tell her her daughter Henrietta is dead! " The girl became frightened, and she started off, but she had not proceeded far, when she heard the voice of Newton calling aloud, " 0 Mary! Henrietta is dead! She has been killed by an Atua ! " He was at this time roughly dragging the body towards the house of Mary Ann, the mother. Wiratalii, seeing this, went aud helped him to convey the body to the house. She was still breathing, but after she had lain for a while, she struggled and died. Her parents, and the other people of the village, were crying in ignorance of the facts of the case ; they did not know she had been murdered, but believed she had been destroyed by an Atua (a god), as Newton had asserted. On the morning of Wednesday, the li-th, the murderer washed the body and laid it out, covering the face with a pocket-handkerchief. At nine o'clock that morning the people assembled to hold a "tangi" (to cry) over the deceased. After the "tangi" was over some experienced pei'sons looked at the body, in order to discover the cause and manner of her death. They then said, "In our opinion that girl was killed by a human being, for her eyes are swollen." Newton said, "You charge me then (with the murder), do you?" The inquirers then said to Mary Ann, " Let us examine. Take off the clothes." The clothes were then turned down, and when the mother saw that the breast and neck were livid and discoloured, and that the lower part of the body retained its natural colour, she exclaimed in an outburst of grief, " Alas ! my daughter was the victim of treachery! " The inquirers then said, "We shall find to-morrow (i.e., shortly) that she has been murdered."

On Thursday, the 15th, the "Eunanga," or inquest, again assembled. One of them uncovered the body, and it was found that the breast and'neck had become quite black from extravasation of blood. On lilting up the head it was discovered that the neck was broken—the skin, &c., only holding it. They then felt convinced that murder had been committed. _ The parents of the deceased then wrote the following letter to me " Friend Paora,—Come hither. My daughter Henrietta has been murdered bv Newton." J On Iriday, the 16th, the people all assembled at .Kohimarama, the place where the murder was committed. The inquiry commenced at 10 o'clock a.m. before myself and Te Hemara, and was continued till the evening. From the statements of the witnesses who were examined, it appeared that jealousy and revenge were the inciting causes of the murder Newton had said in the year 1573, alluding to Henrietta "If I hear that this girl in my charge has cohabited with any man, ere I close my eyes in sleep (she) will die." Now, in the year 1874, she did _ so; and Newton repeated the above words adding, " And let me die by the hand of the Pakeha."' Therefore it was clear to us, and also to the other members of the inquest, that Newton had broken her neck. I then told the parents of the deceased not to bury her, as the guilt had been discovered, and it would be proper to allow the doctors to examine the body, even if decomposition were commenced. In the evening I submitted the case to the " Eunanga" for their final decision, and they unanimously decided that Newton had committed the murder. On Saturday, the 17th, the written report of the examination was sent to Mr. Commissioner Kemp that he might know that a murder had been committed at Orakei, Kohimarama, and that he mi»ht come with the police and apprehend the murderer He came immediately, accompanied by policemen' viewed the body of the deceased, saw that she had been murdered, apprehended Newton, and took him off to gaol. On the 18th, Sunday, constables came and conveyed the body to town, and placed it in the deadhouse there. On the 19th, at 1 o'clock p.m., the Coroner's inquest met. They, accompanied by the doctor, went to view the body, and then returned to proceed with the investigation. The doctor remained behind to perform his great work, viz., the examination of the body for the purpose of discovering the cause of death. On this he was engaged till the evening. On Tuesday, the 20th, the investigation ' was resumed and continued till evening, when the examination of the Maori witnesses was concluded. The doctor then gave his evidence as to his examination of the body. His evidence occupied two hours, and it was then dark. The Coroner's jury found'that Newton was guilty of the murder of Henrietta. He was accordingly sent to gaol to await for three months the sittings of the Supreme Court. In the first week of January, on the 4th day of the month, the trial of Newton commenced. The doctor produced in court some of the bones of the deceased, and explained clearly the cause of her death. The bone which connects the head and body was not broken, but the sinews which connect the bones were broken. The spine was in the same condition as the neck—the muscles were broken. The doctor said he had examined the body thoroughly, but he had found no disease or complaint whatever to which her death might be attributed—the breaking of the neck was the only cause of death. Prom the statement of the doctor, and the evidence given by the Maori witnesses, the jury of twelve unanimously decided that

Newton murdered Henrietta. The Judge then passed sentence of death on Newton, and he was accordingly executed in the month of Februarv last. I have written the above to set forth the works of evil-minded men. This is a Maori method of committing murder. A Pakeha would not murder thus ; he would stab with a knife, or shoot with a gun, or kill with an axe—but this method was practiced in the time of our ancestors, and Newton resolved to adopt it, thinking the murder w r ould be undiscovered by the iaw, But it was discovered nevertheless, and he was executed. Thus sayeth the Scriptures—" The wages c>f sin. is death so if a man determine to commit evil and murder, he himself must be the expiatory sacrifice. My friends, fellow readers of the newspaper, I greatly admire the course of action of this people of God, this intellectual and far-seeing people the Pakeha, some of whom are appointed to be magistrates to investigate crime of every kind, some juries to decide and fix the guilt, and some doctors to discover the ailments and ills which affect the human body. What cares the doctor for the stench and oftensi\eness of a dead body ?—he steadily performs his work until he has accomplished his purpose. By Maoris alone nothing would be perfected. This was a crime entirely affecting the Maoris ; no Pakeha suffered; the deceased belonged to'the Maoris only—yet the Government said:—"Although this is a crime solely affecting the Maoris, let it be carefully investigated that the guilty one may be discovered, and that lie may suffer for the crime he has committed. Ihis was done as a warning to prevent others from becoming criminal, and rushing recklessly into vice and wrong-doing. From the_first, down to the day appointed for his execution, Newton did not confess to the murder. On the day of his death, however, he confessed that he alone murdered Henrietta. From your friend, Paora Tuhaere,

To the Editor of the Walca Maori. Whanganui, Koriniti, sth April, 1875. Friend, —Greeting. We write this in loving remembrance of our aged friend and chief, W. Nopera Te Maihi-o-te-Bangi, who has gone hence to his Maker. He died on the sth of March, 1875. His age, we suppose, was about seventy-five years. He was a member of the Ngatipamoana tribe, and the principal minister of this Whanganui people. He was a preacher of the Gospel for thirty-six years, and he consistently performed the duties of his office' each day of the year, nor suffered his thoughts to be led away and engrossed by the endless cares aud pursuits of this life. The earnest desire of his heart was to uphold Christianity and the laws of the Government, and both he and his people were engaged in the work of the Government during the years which have gone by. During the troublous times of the country he ever exhorted his people to hold fast to the laws of God, and the laws of the Queen also. He was a man acquainted with the habits and customs of our ancestry of olden time, and every day he showed his knowiedge also of the Scriptures, lie was appointed by his minister, the late Bev. Mr. Taylor, to officiate in marriage ceremonies among his own people. He died a Christian, and on the day he died he exhorted the people to hold fast to Christianity, and to the laws of the Government, and he urged them to rebuild the Church after he was gone. These were his last words, and then he fell asleep.

Mr. Editor, the publisher of the thoughts of men. of large understanding and knowledge who have passed away upon the ever-ebbing tide, we send this to you that you may insert it in our Waha, so that it may be read by Christian friends in all parts of the island, who, no doubt, have sympathy for such men of great mind who passed away in the midst of their good works. Prom your friends, Poari Kuramate, and Ratana. Te Ao-o-te-Rangi.