MURDER CHARGES AT. AUCKLAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3043, 2 April 1917, Page 6

MURDER CHARGES AT. AUCKLAND

"INQUEST ON EXHUMED CORPSE : TOHUNGAISM NOTED ■ gj-v Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland,' March 31. At Kaitara, the inquest regarding tho death of Mitai Aperahama, whose body was exhumed on _ March 7, was concluded. Tho following verdict was returned. by tho jury':—"That Mitai Aperahama died on or about August 14, 1913, m Victoria Valley, and that the eight persons arrested, as well as Hariata Hura and Pari Horina (now dead), and Hori Horima, and George Karima (now at the war),, on or about August 14, 1913, did cause the death of Mitai Aperahama by suffocation at' Victoria Valley."^ Tho jury added'a rider thavtohuugaism was practised both on tho date of. .the murder and for a, long Mite previously in Victoria Valley. , The. names of the persons arrested on tlic charge of murder are: Eta Patuone Aperahama (father of the de J , ceased), Hura Holiia, Heta: Apera.hama, or Nelson', Te Koni Hcteraka,, ■ Rameka Mawene, and three women— Hermaimia To Koni, RApeka Aperahama, and Marama Horima. _ At the ■ inquest, King, Maori council- ; lor, said he was present at n Maori meeting on August 30, 1913, st Victoria Valley, to make inquiries regarding the death of a child, said to be due.' to toliungaism, and also regarding Mita Aperahama, who was missing, , There were present at the meeting: Eru Aperahama (deceased's father), la Koni Heteraka, Hura ; Hohia, Hotiv. Aperahama, Rameka Mawene, and Hori Horima. Inquiry'was made for • Mitai. The latter's father told witness lie had - bgen over'to see his son at Whangaroa, .Eru told witness that a most wonderful thing had happened, at' Victoria Valley. • Another meeting tfas. held on March-5, 1917. Witnesssaw . Hura Hohia the day before, and) told him he had heard that Mitai was killed and buried. "Eru !Mitai had disappeared into heaven like an angel. Another meeting was _ held,-, and witness then asked Eru if it was a fact that Mitai was murdered and buried in tho bush. Eru denied all . knowledge, but later Heta Aperahama. stated that Mitai had been ■ buried in; - the ground for years. At daybreak on the following day, March 6. the?' went into the bush. Hura, Hohia and Heta. showed where the , body was buried.. .The earth was lifted, and.a coffin was found, the top ..being only, six inches from the surface.' There! was a rumour that it was expected, th® deceased would "rise again," hencei . the top of the coffin, was not nailed. The coffin contained a human skeleton wrapped in blankets. The Natives stated that it was Mitai's body, and that Heta had made the coffin. Eru, deceased's father, said they knocked the deceased,down,and held him down, that Mitai appeared to be going mad, and he died. Henry William Wells, of Victoria: . Valley, stated in evidence that Hariata Hura, who was^now dead, came tor him just after the ' supposed date ■ of? Mitai's death. 1 She had her clothes • torn off, and was bruised about tho body. She complained that her infant child had been taken from her and .thrown into the bush. He ordered the Natives to go home and to bohave: Next day Hariata recovered her child from the bush, in a perished condition. Witness tried, to help with . hot water. ' The child was named Moses, and apparently the'occurrence was due to tohungaism and religious fervour, the Natives " talking about "Moses and bulla rushes." ; The child subsequently died. A meeting was held on August 30y 1913, for an inquiry into its death by. the Maori Council, and deceased's father was warned to discontinue the practice of tohungaism. ' Tepana Hurama gave corroborative ■ evidence. He said Heta told him that Eru gave instructions to'knock Mitai down, and when he was down he was held down till he died.