MAORI CHILD’S DEATH

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1930, Page 5

MAORI CHILD’S DEATH

INQUIRY PROCEEDING,

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

HAWED A, November 5

An inquest on the death of a Maori baby girl, Honi Hi Hi, at Keketaiinare Pa, near Normanby, on October 25 was held before Coroner R. S. Sage, and attracted unusual interest, consequent upon the charge o'f murder on which the child’s foster Maori, mother, Margaret Kerehona, had been previously remanded.

The Court house was crowded, principally by Maor’s. Detective Meiklejolin conducted the prosecutions which were watched on behalf of the foster mother by Mr Taylor.

Honi Hi Hi, father of the child gave evidence it was 16 months old at the time of death. It had been adopted a year ago during the illness c'f the mother by Kerehona, who lived at Iveteamaire Pa about 20 miles 'from witness’ home at Otakeho,

Witness never heard, prior to the death of the child of any ill-treatment. Dr. R. G. B. Sinclair and Constable Pigeon gave evidence that when they saw the body at. the Pa about 10.50 on the night of October 26 Kerehona said she had struck it with her fist because it would not stop crying.-. When she found it would not wake up she tried unsuccessfully to revive it with water.

Dr. Sinclair, who madle a post mortem examination gave the opinion that death was due to compression of the brain due to bleeding in the head. The bleeding may have been caused by a blow over the vertex skull on the right side where there was bleeding evidence or by a eontre coup resultant on a blow on the other side There was no sign of external violence or injury except a slight scratching of the left ear.