TRIAL OF HIROKI FOR MURDER.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2383, 22 November 1881, Page 4

TRIAL OF HIROKI FOR MURDER.

fPHBSS ASSOCIATION TELE GUAM.] NEW PLYMOUTH, November 21. Hiroki was brought up at the Police Court this morning upon a charge of having murdered John McLean. The following presided Mr 0. E. Bawaon, R.M.. and Messrs W. A. Carrington and T. King, J.P.’s. Mr Standiah, Crown Prosecutor, and Mr Samuel appeared for the prosecution. Mr Blandish stated that ho proposed to call Mr C. Messenger to give his evidence to day, as he was anxious to get back to Parihaka. After taking that evidence, he proposed to ask for an adjournment of the case until to-morrow. Charles Messenger deposed—l am a licensed Native Interpreter and Lieutenant in the New Zealand Militia. For several years I have been in the habit of attending Nat No meetings held at Parihaka. 1 was at the meeting on the 17th October, 187 - I remember hearing of the murder of a man named John McLean at Mamahaki. Shortly after that occurrence I visited Parihaka. I know the prisoner Hiroki. I first saw him at the meeting at Parihaka in October, 1878. That was shortly after Mr Williams, Native interpreter, had been at Parihaka searching for Hiroki. I had attended several meetings before that time, but did not see Hiroki at Parihaka before. Some Natives directed my attention to him, and in consequence of what the Natives said, I went up to him, I said to some of the Natives (in the hearing of the prisoner) that I had hoard Hiroki was not wounded. Hiroki immediately showed a wound in the groin, on the right side. The wound was at that time open, and had not healed up. It appeared to have been made by a bullet, and at the time I saw it it appeared to have been only recently received. I asked Hiroki about the murder of McLear. Ho said the surveyors had been in the habit of killing his pigs, and he had warned them several times about it. On the day of the murder ho heard some dogs again at the pigs, and when he got up to where McLean was, he had soma words with him about killing the pigs. Hiroki said that MoLean threatened to shoot him, and if he had not shot McLean, McLean would have shot him. I saw Hiroki ■with a double-barrelled fowling-pieoe at Parihaka. He showed the gun at two meetings. He also had a pistol in bis belt, fie paraded the gun before the Natives who were assembled in the marae. None of the other Natives had their guns at the same time. Accused was told that he could examine witnesses.

Mr Messenger (To Hiroki) —I did have a conversation with you at Parihaka. Hiroki—l did not speak to yon et Parihaka.

Archer Charles Croft, deposed—l am a duly qualified medical practitioner aesiding at Patea. I remember a coroner’s inquest being held on the body o£ John M’Lsan, before Captain Wray. It was held about three years since. I made a post mortem examination on the body of John M’Lean before the inquest was held at Waverly. M'Loan appeared to be about thirty-two years of age, or possibly younger. I found a jagged wound about the centre of the twelfth rib on the left side, I dilated the wound with a pair of forceps, and I found three or four ribs splintered in small pieces. Blood had flowed from the wound. I observed also that blood had trickled from the right ear. I saw a swelling on the temple about the size of a small walnut. I examined the swelling and it was moveable, and I thought that it might be a bullet. I cut down upon it and extracted a bullet. I believe the bullet produced is the same that I extracted from the body. I placed the bullet on the table before the coroner, I opened the body in order to trace the passage of the ballet from the external wound in tho ribs to the ear. I found that tho ball had fractured three ribe and then made a furrow on the surface of tho liver. It then had torn the large arteries at the base of the heart, having first passed through the diaphragm. The next trace of the bullet was underneath the collar bone, and then it passed along the superficial muscles on the right aide of the neck up to the right temple bone. From tho course the bullet had taken I believe McLean must have been in a stooping position at the time he was shot. He was shot from behind and below him. Mo Lean could not have been dead more than forty-eight hours when I examined him. The wound which ho received must have produced instantaneous death. I had tho body stripped and thoroughly examined it. I discovered no other wounds. Hiroki (to witness) —Have you any idea of who it was killed the man ? Witness—Oh dear, no. Ur Standish at this stage asked for n remand until to-morrow, at 11 a.m. This concluded the business. PATEA, November 21. The Waitotara Natives relented at a meeting yesterday, and despatched witnesses by coach to Now Plymouth to-day to give evidence against Hiroki. Another witness is ill, but will leave on recovery.