The Te Awaite Murder.

Manawatu Herald, 5 March 1904, Page 3

The Te Awaite Murder.

With regard to the murder of Lg Collinsou, at Te Awaite, it seem fairly clear that the bullet, which entered Collinson’s back, came out of his chest by* way of both lungs and heart, and sped on to parts unknown, and must have been lired frohl up on the steep bank. Those who have been on the spot declare that there is about a chain of the terrace (no more) where a man could get a clear shot downwards at the knob of clay on which Oollinson sat. The unknown murderer must have Men somewhere up about this part of the terrace. Oollinson, sitting down, reclining rather to the left side, received the terribly fatal shot, and his body rolled down the bank. The police searched all about chain area for the all-important evidence, the cartridge case. They searched down the bank, lest it had fallen in the dry grass and weeds there, but without result. Apparently smokeless powder was used, for Ross saw no smoke; and the man who fired did not leave his cartridge case behind. Whoever he was, he picked his moment with deadly suddenness, and left no trace. The precipitous scrub covered country over towards the East Coast affords splendid cover. On Te Awaite station there is about thirty miles of such, and if a fugitive cared to extend his range he could have something like a hundred miles of such country between White Rock and Tenui.