INCIPIENT MAORI RIOT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1824, 9 August 1913, Page 11

INCIPIENT MAORI RIOT.

POST-MORTEM & CORONER'S TACT. (By Telegraph—Frees Association.) Carterton, August 8, There was further trouble at Gladstone yesterday afternoon at Hurunui Orangi pa, when the Natives again objected to a post-mortem examination being held on tho body of Pita Kawana. The' coroncr, a doctor, and two polico arrived at tho time appointed for the operation, and found tho Natives, about 200 strong, men, women, and children, drawn up to receive them. A continuous wailing for the dead was kept up, and many of tho Native speakers urged tho Natives to prohibit the i>ost-mortem examination, ono declaiming loudly in pidgin-English: "You cut Pita Kawana ? No! Rather you cut me open." He was greeted by loud applauso. Sir. J. T. M. Hornsby, coroner, spoke calmly to the Natives about the law of the land, and tho result of obstructing the workings of tho law, and with great tact succeeded in calming all the turbulent spirits except ono who "wanted to be cut up';" This man was threatened with arrest and imprisonment, and then the post-mortem was allowed to proceed. It was found that a cyst on tho liver was ruptured, setting up general peritonitis, death ensuing from syncope. At $o inquest held after a verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence.