THE TRAGEDY AT ORE ORE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1833, 20 August 1913, Page 8

THE TRAGEDY AT ORE ORE.

PETI TETUA ACQUITTED. •By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Palmerston, August.lS). The Supremo Court was occupied to-day with the trial'of a Maori woman named l'eti Tetua, who was charged with tlio manslaughter of a man named Joseph Graham, at Ore Ore, Kaetihi. Evidence, was to the eifect that Graham hud resided as the husband of Hcretihi, niece and foster-daughter of accused, who disapproved of the alliance. Graham had uttered to numerous persona threats to kill i'eeti and other relatives of his wife, and also Constable M'ltae, of Kaetihi, who "wanted" him for sly grog-selling. Sonio witnesses had considered his mind unhinged, lio returned to Oro Ore, which was eighteen miles from the nearest jxjlico station, and his wife, being in terror of him, telegraphed to Constable M'ltae, "Como at once, Graham is here." Constable M'liae, believing that this message referred to the sly-grog case, did not come till next morning. Meanwhilo Graham stealthily entered the house, an 4 shot his wife. Her aunt Peeti was called, and she, picking up a cross-cut saw, as the only weapon at hand, entered the house. Graham was then lying'by her dead child, and ho partly rose and reached for a gun. She at once struck liiin with the saw, inflicting fatal injuries. ■ , . Proceedings at the trial w'cre chiefly directed to ascertaining whether accused reasonably believed that she was acting in self-defence at the time, and whether, in that case, the violence was reasonable.

Tho Chief' Justico summed up in favour •of accused. The jury, after ten minutes' retirement, acquitted her. She left the box amid an unusual scene of congratulations from whites and Maoris.