MURDER FO A NATIVE WOMAN AT OHINEMURI.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 499, 16 August 1871, Page 2

MURDER FO A NATIVE WOMAN AT OHINEMURI.

[fiiom ouh own correspondent.]

OiiiKEMuni, August 12, 1871. Adout a month sinoo a report became current here that a nutive woman, the wife of To One, hud died at the Kiimutn gum-diggings. These diggings lire about tliree miles bolow, and some five to seven miles inland from Cashei s laiul-mg-plneo on the Thames (VVi ilio) river, and for some time past a largo party of natives liavo been employed in digging gum there. Amongst the- natives have boen some few Europeans. After the report reached us of the woman's death, v vague rumonr got abroad that sho had coraiuitted suicide —through jealousy, some said—owing to an access of the insanity from which sho was alleged to have been suffering, said others. In uny case, i-he woman was acknowledged to have had three wounds, apparently made by a gum spear, whicli, as most of your readers are nwtire, is a large sharp-pointed iron rod. One wound penetrated the thorax ; one was on the right, and the other on the left side, near the jugular vein. These facts have only gradually oozed out, but it has been apparent that there was great dissatisfaction amongst the Maoris themselves about the matter. There was also a report current that one at least of the pakehas w.is in some way implicated in the affair. On this point inquiry lias been made, and it was found that the map bad been in camp on tlio day the woman received the wounds, from the effects of which she died ; but so fir as my information yet goes, ho was not in any way cognisant ol their being inflicted. Within tho. past week, il appears that Eopata (Robert), one of tho native chiefs lately made an Assessor, has been down to Shortlaud and made a report to the native agent, who hat) directed an enquiry to take place. That enquiry will take place on Monday, at tho i Jia 11 aura ki, or House of Peace of Hauraki, at Ohinomuri. On making some enquiries as to the facts, so far as it is possiblo to ascertain anything in in connection with the matter, 1 find that Mrs. Te One had been ill, and was left in camp while the others went away dinging. On the return of tho party, e\>r found to be suffering, not alone from the wounds I have stated above, bu! from cuts under the right eye at«d at the back of the load, evidently inflicted by a tomahawk. The woman was, however, sensible. She lived for two days after, and nmdo a statement as (o the parson who indicted the wounds. I may say at once that the European left in camp is not implicated. It is alleged that an attempt was made to steal some i»f the gum left in the vvhare where Mrs. To One whs ; that she resisted, and tluit the would-be thief inflicted tho wounds. These are tho statemen! s alleged to liavo been made by tho woman while aiive to her husband and other Maoris, who had a talk about the matter while sho wus still alive. For all this, no medical assistance whs called in ; no inquiry was made j no inquest was held ; the woman did, and she was buried where she lay. I will send you the result of the inquiry on Monday.—Herald.