NIUE ISLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1922, Page 4

NIUE ISLAND.

AIFBDER OF A POLICEMAN. A rOIvLAND. Dec l-l. An assertion that a Niue Islander nanutd Alatiu is now suffering imprisonment at Samoa for a crime of wilieli ho is innocent is made lie Air E. B. Yaile, who write- explaining the circumstances as follows:—In April, 1921, a native constable was murdered at the village of Alakoju, on Niue Island, and two men, Alatiu and I'lumotu (uncle ami nephew respectively) were arrested ill connexion therewith. Fhimotu was sentenced to ton years' pnnl servitude, and .Matin, who had nothing to do with the crime, was sentenced to death, litis sentence was subsetiueiildy commuted to imprisonment for lite. H.AI.S.

Chatham was sent to remove these j men, and before their departure the murderer was told that tlie “Aitu” or phqst of Ids vicitui would follow him and eat his heart until lie died. Thi; is practically what did occur, as UH:- j motu, shortly after arriving at Mount . Eden Prison, died. He left a dying I confession of his guilt, stated his reason j for th« crime and exonerated Matin. I The confession ultimately came into , my hands and I scut an interpretation I of it to tho Department of Justice j which informed me it was a matter i<>i j the consideration of the Cook Island j Department. 1 then received a he!" j from from the Secretary o! External j Affairs asking mo to forward the o'i-j ginal confession. Before doing so I j took the precaution to have it photo- j gropbed, and subsequent events pm-.- j •C<l the wisdom of doing .so. A long toiTospondeme tben ensued, and be.-i now gone on for one year and eight i months., During this period 1 wa- | .seeking further evidence in support i of tho confession, and it was neees j sary to do so a.s lar afield as I'iji. j Samoa, and Niue Island. 1 have ulti- , mutely succeeded in obtaining sworn evidence in the form of an affidavit by a person who is well acquainted with Ulumoto’s handwriting that the photograph of which I have already' referret: is of a document in Llie handwriting ol Ulnmotu. T have not received any assistance from the Department in my endeavour to prove Matin's innocence, and it lias been a long and tedious

process. Following is an interpretation of the ( confession referred to:—“I am • Liu- j motu who is writing this letter on j board bis Majesty’s ship Chatham. She i anchored hero to take away the six j men who were wrecked here. 1 havemade up ntv mud to write this letter , to make known the story about myself .for I feel certain that death is , coining to me. When we left Niue my . body was light, like cotton wool; lio j sickness of any kind, but after having spent 20 nights in the prison at Fiji I j saw a vision in the night. I'vom that night I got verv ill and nearly died there. 1 felt well in the daytime, but felt ill a.t night. The doctor was kind to mo on board the ship, but be din not umlerstanr wliat bad happened to me. A spear bad been thrust into my side and drew my breath away. 1 am cursed through my nloody bands. Matin .took the long kuile that l slew him with to Court, and told them what 1 did. which was all true. Tlie people around here heard my lamentations to my wife when she died, i was persuaded by and others to put the blame on my uncle (Mntiu). as if 1 told the truth tho law will take away my life, bub if ! said it was my uncle the law will have mercy on him being one ol tlicnisclves (a man ol standing). I can hear and it cl that I have not many days to life, that deaiii has coino to me. My dear uncle 1 have sinned towards you. When you hear that 1 have gene talon ih'.s Ictlcr to Nino and make it known. am Flumotu. who wrote tins letter. Mr Vile concludes:—The unfortunate Matin was not represented by a solicitor. or anyone else, and when lie attempted to defend himself, wa- silenced. Could any treatment he mere repri'h; nsible!- Recently a communication with Matin and those .v-m-ting him lim hiding his wife). Im.s been mysteriously interrupted. I o’icud t" luata this interruption.

For till purposes requiring a pore, fit ! l-fta von rorl, piquant. Vinegar, we ret. mmi'iid SHAH LAND'S \ TNEOAH. I! re wed from pure oqne sugar.