PERSECUTED AND HUNTED TO DEATH.
Gisborne, October 15. An extraordinary affair is reported from Teararoa. On Sunday, October sth, Harry Florey, a cook by occupation, ■> was found drowned, and, in view of the report of Constable Buddy, who has charge of the district, the Coroner, Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., has given instructions for the fullest inquiries to be made. Constable Buddy’s report to the Coroner contains the following remarkable story ; had been living at Teararoa since July 23rd, 1913, and it is alleged that he allowed himself to get into a very dirty condition. He had partly arranged to enter employment at Teararoa, and there was a likelihood of his doing so on or about the 20th inst. During the time he was boarding, he did not pay anything towards his keep, and it was through his stating that he was going to work that he was kept there so long.” The report proceeds to state that on the night of Ist instant, deceased had vomited in the bath at the place at which he was staying, and next morning he admitted that he had done so. He was subjected to a good deal of condemnation for his action, and subsequently apologised and said he was a disgraced man. Some time after this he had a conversation with his prospective employer, and admitted committing the act of which he was accused, and was told that, under the circumstances, he could not be taken into employment. Deceased seemed depressed and made some remarks that he would leave matters to be judged by ‘‘the Highest Tribunal.’,’ “It appears that some sort of meeting was held during the morning of the 2nd inst.,” the constable’s report continues, ‘‘and it was decided to hunt deceased out of the township. It seems to have been the common talk of the town. At 2.30 in the afternoon some nine or ten persons met, among whom there were four meu, these being the leaders of what subsequently transpired. The deceased’s horse was brought, the tail of which was decorated with a white rag, and there was no saddle on the horse. took the horse to where the deceased was standing talking to a Maori. The other persons were following close behind, and, on reaching to where deceased was standing, he (deceased) was taken hold of by and was lifted on to the horse. The horse was then led on again by towards the river, and in the direction of Port Awanui. The deceased was being held ou the horse by and , while a number of persons followed some little distance behind. After going about 200 yards deceased managed to get off the horse and tried to get away, when be was again taken hold of by , and , who tried to put him on the horse again. At this time deceased, who was trying to defend himself, struck in the face and cut the latter’s lip. was seen to strike deceased in return in the face (which probably caused the black eye which, with a scratch on the forehead, were the marks on the body when discovered). The deceased was then led down to the river by the meu aud , where he appears to have willingly got ou V his horse and rode over the river ! alone and continued up the river bed in the direction of Port Awanui. The crowd then returned to the township. The time would be about 3 p.m. Nothing further was seen of deceased until about 5 p.m., when he was then seen by a Maori girl named Moetu near the Turangokoau pa, some two miles from Teararoa. The girl states that the deceased was then leading his horse and was making in the direction of Teararoa. On the following morning (Friday, the third) the horse was found at the township with the bridle on, and it was thought that deceased had turned it into one of the Maori pas and that the horse had got away. Nothing further was seen of deceased until his body was found 911 the beach on the sth inst.”
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1159, 16 October 1913, Page 2
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683PERSECUTED AND HUNTED TO DEATH. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1159, 16 October 1913, Page 2
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