HAD MAN FOR WIFE FOR FORTY-ONE YEARS

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1946, Page 4

HAD MAN FOR WIFE FOR FORTY-ONE YEARS

Strange Tale Rdated at Inquest

CHELSTCTTrRCH, Ppc, 5. . The story of how he lived for.: ov.tii41 years with a person whom he thougiit was "liaif woman and half man, ' ' was tohi by Kobert Woolgat Orton in swora evidenee at an inqtiesl into the death of ICeitia Wiremu Reweti Paraona at Tuahiwi on the night of November ^fi. The inquest was reopened at Kaiapoi this afternoon before the eoroner (Mr. II. P. Lowry). Orton said in his statement that about 41 or 42 years ago he niarried a person at the Rangiora I'ost Offir-e. At the time that he niarried this person he thought that she was a woman but shortly after he was married he ascertained that the person was not a woman. 'O never netually found out what sex this person was," he said. "T thought that she was half woman and half man. We lived together as man and wifc. After our marriage for about three months T oecupied the same bed as this person but after that we used separate beds. I'he reasou why I never mentioned tliis to any person is that I did not wish to have any publieity. "We lived at 20 Mahora Street, kilbirnie, Wellington, for about 1}) years an.d the people- about that district knew us as man and wife. I never saw him with his elothes off/ I lcnow that this appears to be a queer kind of life that I have lived and the only reasofi that I •can give for it is, as stated above, that I did not want to have anv publieity over the matter. " A sworn statement by Eruera Tihama Tirikatene, IMinister of Religion, of North Road, Kaiapoi, given on the dav following the death of Paraona, stated that the body witness had just viewed in the presence of the eoroner in the Kaiapoi morgue, he idenfifred as that of a person wiio was kuown to liim for many years past as Kate Orton, reputed wife of Robert Woolgnr Orton. "J knew deceased for over 40 years and I always understood that deceased was of the feniale sex as he always dressed as a girl even in his teens, " c.ontinued witness. "It is only since his death that I have aseertained that the body is -that of a male. I have lived- with Mr. Orton and his reputed wife for many yoars

whilst in Wellington on my Parliamentary duties and the couple have always been known and lived as man and wife, II have aseertained from Orton that when they went through the marriage ceremonv many ypars ago, he was unaware of the sex of the person he married but that %hen* he subs;equea tly aseertained the true 'facts he thought it wise to make no disclosure. Thrring the time that I have known deeeased his health has always been good and I have not known him to require medical attention. " Oiving evidence Frank Huria said that lie was a wool elasser of Woodend. On Tuesdav, November 26, he was present at a function in the liall at Tuahiwi where celebrations were being held in connection with the Maori elet'tions. He had known deceased for the past 40 years and had always known him as Kate Orton," ITe had never had any oecasion to believe deceased was other than a female. Paroana arrived at the hall about half an hour before his death. He was shaking hands with many of the people present, including witness. They had just shaken hands and witneffs had stepped awav a couple of paces when he heard a noise behind him. He saw Paraona half falling to the floor. Constable E. R. Warren, of Kaiapoi, said that at 12.20 a.m. on November 27 Dr. G. F. Mcfvee, of Kaiapoi, reported to him that he had been called to Tuahiwi hall where a Maori woman aged about 63 had died suddenly. He could not give a death eertificate because the woman had died about half an hour before he arrived. A telephono eall was put through to the "woman V husband in Wellington and it was aseertained that Paraona h&d never been attendcd by a drctor at any time. 'The discoverv that Paraona was a man wa°7 made by the District Nurse in thep course of stripping and cleansing thw ' body, contintied Constable Wai'ren. Jnquiries sliowed th'at Paraona was a native of Gisborne and, as far as could be aseertained, deceased ntust have been masquerading for well over 40 years. The eoroner: Is that all the evidence at present? Constable Warren: Yes, sir. The eoroner then adjourned the inquest sine die for the reception of a prepared report on the post-niortem exam- . ination made by Dr. B. Pearson, pathologistj at Christchurch Publie Hospital.