Shooting Tragedy

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 32, 22 February 1937, Page 7

Shooting Tragedy

—Pre8» AisocistieB. i

AGED MAURI KILLED Elderly Daughter Severely Injured ARREST OF S0N FOLLOWS

Bt Telserapfa

AUCKLAND, This D&y, A tragedy oceurred in a fourroomed whare on Waiau Pa road, Patumahoe, at 8 o'ciock last night, when Toko Whakaia, aged 70, one of the best-knowh MaOris in tbe district, was fatally shot in the baek, and his elder daughter, Mrs. Ette Toko, aged 80, severely injured through being struck on the head by a heavy iron kettle. Her condition this morning had 1m* proved. Last night the police arrested john Toko, aged 26, son of the dead man, and charged him With murder. He was brought to Auckland at an eariy hour this morning, after having been in the cells at pukekohe. Wh&kaia was shot in the middle of tbe baek with a singie-barrel shotgun, Tbe kettle Wbicb injuted tbe daughter was shattered, Wben tbe police arrived they found her lying on the eartb fldor of the whare. The Pukekohe police were advised by the proprietor of the Patu4 mahoe Sotel. They were On tbeir way td tbe seene Witb a-doctor wben they s&w thrfee Maoris on the roadside, one of whom was John Toko, Wbo apcompanied them baek to tbe whare. MrS, Toko had regaihed consciousness end she recognised John Toko, and from wbat sbe said and otber evidence tbe poliee made the arrest. The police believe tbat the shot was fired from outside the building, tbe charge passing tbrougb tbe thin walls of tbe whare and entering Whakaia 's baek. He was found lying near tbe window. Tbe other members of ihe family, Wbo had takou refuge witb a neigbbour, p&ld tbat there was no warning of the tragedy. A sbot was fired and Whakaia fell. Mrs. Toko fnade a desperate etfort to secure pofesession of the weapon, Which fell t0 the floor and wbs picked up by one of the children and taken to a neighbour's house. Though badly ittjtired in tbe heed, Mrs. Toko feigned death in order tO avoid furtber Injury, Detectives frOm Auckland toOk num-1 crous statemettts. An inqiieat was opened near tbe whare before Mr. C. K. Lawrie, coroner, and adjournod after evidence of identification. Wearing a ,navy blue snit and black shift, and With bis hbnds claSped in front of bim, John Toka (not Toko), appeared in tbe Poliee COuft to-day before Mr W. E. McKean, S.M., charged tbat, on Febrtiaty 21, bfe did mUrder Toko Whakaia. On tbe application of the police accused was remanded for a week.