HAWERA MURDER CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 4 July 1931, Page 5

HAWERA MURDER CASE

CORONIAL ENQUIRY. (By Telegraph —Per Press Association) HAWERA, July 3. William Charles Brown, slaughterman of Masterton, employed at Wainagawa, said that when Tinsley Was at the works in January he was wearing a light suit and fe.t bat. He could not remem'ber an overcoat. Pi Katano said that on the night of January .31, lie went to Chibba’s shop with two brothers, who bought ITmt and spoke to Chibba. A pakeha was standing at- the end of the counter. He remained there till witness left. He j wore g serge suit, collar and perhaps a hat. The Crown Prosecutor: In a statement you. said that the man wore a light grey suit and looked as though he had not had a shave for a few days.

Mr Salmon; Which is correct the statement, the one you are making now or the one made previously.

Witness: To-day. Mr Weston: Did the man have an overcoat, Witness: No. Replying to Mr o’l)ea, witness said that Tinsley did not ask him if he was in the shop.

David Skipepr, a native, accompanied the previous witness on the night of January 31 and said that there was a man there and he neither moved nor spoke, Witness saw the same man in two other occasions subsequently find identified him at tbo police station. Ho left a billiard room with the other Maoris at 11 o’clock and went straight to Chibha’s. The man in Chibbn’s wore a serge suit and not an overcoat. The second time witness saw him he wore a grey woolly overcoat. Chibba was preparing to close the shop when witness called. The party went out and drove away in a. car immediately.

HINDU’S EVIL SUGGESTION. Leonard Rigger, a youth employed by Chhiba, identified a: tomahawk and hammer produced as being the property of Chibba. On Saturday, January 31st, witness said he assisted in the shop, but witness left the shop at 11 p.m. At that time, a boy, Gooding, and Chhiba, were together in the shop. The back and front doors were open.

Questioned by Mr O’Dea, the witness said he did not think the shop was kept open very long after he left. Besides beer, Chhiba sometimes had stout, but he bad never asked witness to drink. Mr O’Dea; Did the Hindu ever make improper suggestions to you. ■ Witness: Yes. I kicked at him, but I refused to do what he wished. Ronald James Evans, said that he knew Chhiba for the past 10 years. He was in his shop on the night of January 31st, about 11.15. He procured change of a 10s note. Chhiba and a boy were in the shop, but not the boy Gooding.

ANOTHER EMPLOYEE. Robert Gooding, a youth, formerly employed by Chhiba, said, that lie was helping in the shop on the night of January 31st. Witness left at 11.15. The back door was closed, and the tomahawk was against the back wall.

Replying to Mr Biss, the witness Gooding, said that Chhiba had made no improper suggestion.

Stephen Howells, nightwatchman, said lie commenced hit* rounds at 11 p.m. He reached Chhiba’s place between 11.45 and midnight. The shop door was locked and the window was covered by canvas. A light was showing through the fanlight above the door, apparently from a room further back in the building. •

HAWERA CONSTABLE’S EVIDENCE.

Constable F. Healey, said that on Sunday, February Ist, he was on station duty. He received a. communication at 6.45 p.m., and! he went to Chhiba’s shop. Both the front and back door were secured. His suspicions were not aroused. Subsequent to further instructions, be returned to the shop at 7.10. There still was apparently nothing unusual. There was daylight on both occasions. About 8.15 p.m., witness stood at the corner of the street near the shop. He was approached by Tinsley, who said that he worked at Cleaver’s bakery, and that he had just arrived from Masterton. At 9 p.m., witness and Constable Donovan went to the shop, witness noticing a light from the back room. Witness went to a small window at the right of the back' door, but lie could see only a chair and a part of the kitchen. Constable Thomas Donovan said that he had last seen Chhiba. alive at 10.30 p.m., on .January 31st. Witness was on duty until 5 a.m.. the following morning, and although he saw a light burning during the night, he considered it nothing unusual. On the following evening witness paid a second' visit to the shop at 9.15 o’clock, when both doors were still unlocked. He returned again, and he found the hack door unlocked. He walked' in, and he found the deceased lying on his hack on the floor, with two mats over his face and shoulders.

To Mr O’Dea: Witness said that it was evident that someone went out of the shop between 10.15 and 11 p.m. Constable Frank T.emm said he had noticed no signs of a struggle, or that the premises had been entered forcibly.

TINSLEY’S FELLOW WORKERS. Stanley Tysoe, employed at Clenv

er’s Bakery, said that he remembered Tinsley arriving to take up a position

a fortnight before the Hindu’s death. After that event, Tinsley told him that the police. had . found a, bloodstained coat in his room and explained that the stains were from a liver that was given him at Masterton Freezing Works. Tinsley also said that he had purchsaed oranges for a picnic on the night of January 31st at Chhiba’s.

William James Moody, employed at Cleaver’s Bakery, said that Tinsley may have said on one occasion, that Hindus should not be allowed in New Zealand. EMPLOYER’S OPINION.

Stating that Tinsley was employed by him from January 19th to April 24th, Jack Cleaver, master baker, said that he had no recollection of stating to the police that Tinsley was j keen to leave his employ because he had a position to go to in,Johnsonvjlle. To Mr O’Dea: Witness said that Tinsley was not a man capable of murder. Neither did he give grounds for the least suspicion,- that he was a guilty man. He was a good tradesman and a conscientious worker. IIAWERA, July 4. Coronial inquiry and the hearing of the charge against Walter John Tinsley of having murdered Nana Chibha at Hawera between Janunry 31 and February Ist was continued hi the Magistrate’s Court last evening, when evirln v>(-e of a corroborative. nature was e ivea * ! iilUj There were several witnesses, Margaret Gibson, licensee of the Royal Hotel, said that Tinsley was n hoarder from January 19 to April 24, The morning after the Hindu’s death witness said to Tinsley, “David is murdered.-’’ She could not remember wimt reply he made, if any.

Four boarders at the hotel were also called in evidence. One admitted under cross'examination that he noted nothirg unusual in accused's demeanour after the murder, even though he was sitting at the same table as the detectives for meals.

'The evidence for the evening concluded with that of Donald J. Hartill, foreman motor mechanic. He said that Tinsley paid £7 for repairs to his motor car on February 7, and had contemplated repair work to the engine at a cost of £ls/2/-.