THREE MAORIS KILLED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 8

THREE MAORIS KILLED

j—: EXPLOSION SOUTH OF AUCKLAND GERMAN MINE BLAMED News of what is believed to have been Hie explosion of a German mine resultina in the death of two men Ims' been received by the Commissioner of Police and the Naval Adviser to the ■Government. A message from the police authorities in Auckland on Monday night states:"Early- this morning, Mr. Michael Evan, a farmer of TVoodleigh, 88 miles south of Auckland on the West Coast, heard a loud explosion along the const from his place, and on investigating the , cause fo.und the remains of- two men and seveml head of cattle on the beach. It is surmised that the explosion was caused by a mine that had been washed ashore, although, on inspecting the locality, Mi\ Ryan found no trace of any meinl. The. two men were undoubtedly drovers taking cattle along the beach." PIECES OP METAL DISCOVERED. By Tnlesravili—Press Association. Auckland, April 22. On Monday morning three Maoris, one named Edward Whare, and two brothers named Puhurn, left Pukewera, a bluff between Port Waikato and Raglan, to attend a sports meeting at Karaka. They reached the mouth of the Waikouria (.'reek and coincident with their arrival a farmer named Michael Ryan, living in the vicinity, heard a terrific explosion. Rushins out to investigate, Mr. Ryan saw a Inure column of smoke rising from the direction of the seafront. . Hero ho found the fragments nf the three men and their three horses. The harness was scattered in all directions. Subseciuently the police recovered the remains. Tliev also fonnd pieces of steel and other metal, which appeared to be part of a mine, which in exploding mado a huge hole in the bench. The deceased were identified from their clothing by other Maoris. It is presumed that the heavy weather recently experienced swept the mine ashore, and that the Natives were attempting to recover it when it exploded. !T ' ."- ' T—•