THE GISBORNE MURDER CASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2096, 28 March 1889, Page 2

THE GISBORNE MURDER CASE.

(PBB PUKBS ASSOCIATION.)

Gisbornk, Maroh 27. The evidence of Natives given ia iho murder 0086 shows that, two daya before the murder, Ht»irl Te Perl was paid for grass- seed cnt'ing, ooochuqua for himself and ou*> to take tv another Native. That nljjht prisoner ga.nbled with O'.hara at Akuaku, mid lost all the money of hia frleud. On Wedceudiy he left Akuiku m the direction of Muaoho. Ho o )U'd not avoid passing Muaohn, m order to gel to Ro.urua, his horn*-, Evidence was also uivea to show thai p leoner, who had been downcast owing to the loss by gambling* of hU own and friend's money, left Akuaku on which piaßea Mataohu on Wednesday h'.ght, and on Thursday morning wag In his whare at Reporua with bis wife, and othere, having entered whilst they slept. Tbe first thing he did on Thursday was to go to » friend's to pay money given In trust. The people of the settlement noticed a docMed change m his manuer, it being gloomy. They were exoited over the morder. Be ntver spoke, When four porsons, apprehended on suspicion, passed the sottleoiaut priaioner remained m, aud would not see tnera A Native Identified I a sheath knife and shbath as Halra's by Roman numerals 51§, which means In tbe I Maori tlphabot HP and th.i some numerals are tattooed on Htlra Pera'a body. The dootors aud Mr Skey, Government Analyst., deposed tbat the blood on the olothlng and boots and on prisoner's knife was the blood of a mammal. The mother-in-law of prisoner s.a'ed that there was olothlng and dre. c a miterl*] m tbe box In the whare the day after tho murder which she had never seou before. The N.atlve, who was apprehended on suspicion, and lodged m a cell with prisoner, gave a oonvoraatiou between the brothers Haira Hohepa and Pare Haira, telling the other his statement tv tho police. Haira said ko witness and to others' " You will all get clear, but I am bound to go to tbe Supreme Court, because of the marks about rpe." D* Inuea deposed that the mark on the eknll of tho ohlid Bertie Pook was oauaed by a blunt Instrument or by battering.