MURDER CHARGE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 212, 2 June 1920, Page 8

MURDER CHARGE

REDUCED TO MANSLAUGHTER

YOUNG MAORI IN THE DOCK

By TeloKraph—rrcas Association. Auckland, June 1. Hearing of a charge of murder against a young Maori named Hona Herewini. otherwise Hona Solwyn, from Awanui. was commenced in the Supremo Court this morning before Mr. Justico Chapman. He was charged that at Awanui on February 7 ho murdered a Maori named Mei Hemi Hui, 22 years of age. In opening tho case, Mr. Tole, K.C., stated that on Snturday, February 7, a number of young Maoris wore about tho Awanui Hotel in the afternoon, some of them belonging to Awanui and some coming from Kaingaroa. After the hotel closed at G p.m. they remained for a time about the stable yard of tho hotel. Some time after 7 p.m. the prisoner and Mei Hui were seen fighting, and were separated. The prisoner was advised to got his horse and go home. He went to get his horse, and Hui walked towards a gato leading to the road. Then prisoner, who had got on his horse, rode towards the gate, and tho Crown case was that as he rodo past Hui inflicted a verv severe and fatal blow on Hui's head with some weapon, either a pieco Of wood or a 6tirrup iron. Hui fell unconscious, and after trying to revive him. all the Maoris went away. A most extraordinary feature of tho case was that this injured young man seemed to have been left lying in the yard. A fact that was wrapped in mystery was his removal, for tho body was found only after three or four day 6* search in a drain, a quarter of ft mile away from the hotel. The evidence' for the Crown ,was not concluded when tho Coin* adjourned. Prior to tho rising of tho court, the Crown Prosecutor said he wishfd to reduce the charge to one of manslaughter. In this Judge Chapman concurred.