MAORI WHO RAN AMOK

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21655, 16 February 1942, Page 4

MAORI WHO RAN AMOK

TERRIFIED DALMATIANS GUM PITS SET ON FIRE WHANGAREI, Monday The half-caste Maori who ran amok at Waihopo, on the Northland gumfields, was sent on Thursday under armed escort from a National Military Reserve camp where he was serving and returned to his home. Meeting Mr Steve Urlich the same night, he ordered him to dismount from his horse. Mr Urlich rode off, but the man set fire to a cottage where Mr Urlich lived. While it was still burning he threw oilsoaked sacks over four machines situated in a gum tip owned by a syndicate comprised mainly of Dalmatians, but in which Mr G. Rickard, of Kaitaia, has an interest. Three of the machines were Mr Rickard’s personal property, and the machinery destroyed by the fire was valued at £I2OO. Imaginary Comrade In a house a little distance away Messrs M. Maich and F. Framich were confronted by a man holding if his hand a pine cone, which, in the dim light, they were convinced was a grenade. Threatened by it, they were forced to stand near the burning machinery and to throw their clothing on the flames. The man frequently called to an imaginary comrade, Fred, who, he said, bad a machine-gun trained on them from the shadows of the scrub. Terrified, the Dalmatians yet would not reveal the location of the gum pits, but ris the pits were disclosed by the mounting flames, they in turn were soaked in kerosene and ignited. While “Fred” supposedly kept tus gun trained on the owners of the house, the Maori wrecked it with a sledge hammer, casting the personal belongings of the Dalmatians on the fire. However, he ordered them to throw water upon the house, which alone of all the property damaged was insured. Tried To Burn Hall

With the flames from the gum mounting high, the Maori next made three attempts to burn down the Waihopo Hall. He had set a match to curtains saturated in oil when Mr Ujdur intervened. The demented man then tried to fire a tractor owned by Mr Antunovich and stored near the hall. Mr Ujdur followed him and a struggle ensued.

The arrival of another man caused the Maori to make off. Accompanied by a civilian, Constable S. Gawler, of Houhora, who had received a call at 3 a.m., located the man in the titree. He struggled violently before submitting to arrest. After strenuous efforts of firefighters from a wide district, the fire in the gum tip was subdued. All the material required for washing gum next season was destroyed.