ONGAROTO TRAGEDY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2270, 30 April 1921, Page 3

ONGAROTO TRAGEDY

THE MURDER CHARGE. HA KARA IA TE KAHU GOES FOR TRIAL. - Rotorua, April 29. The inquest touching the death oi Patrick Richard Elliott, at Oligarch), and the magisterial hearing of l lie charge against llakaraia To Kalin of murdering him, concluded this afternoon. Constable Wright described the finding of bloodstains near the river bank, and getting the gun and cartridges (produced) from accuseds whare.

Detective Sweeney stated that he arrested llakaraia, who said nothing when charged. The detective stated that llakaraia, before aricst, made a statement to the effect that he and Elliott were good friends. They went shooting on March 27th, and returned in the evening, each going to his own whare. At o o’clock next morning llakaraia went to Elliott’s whare and found him in bed. He borrowed his overcoat and went to Mokoia. Accused luid £2o on March 25th (Good Friday), lmt nobody knew it. He did no harm to Elliott, and could not account for the latter’s disappearance.

The coroner’s jury found that Elliott had died of a gunshot wound in the back of the neck, on or about March 27th, at or near Ongaroto. The evidence proved that a strong suspicion rested on llakaraia le Kahn as the murderer. Accused reserved his defence, ami was committed for trial at Hamilton on June 14th. The magistrate said that the people searching for Elliott were to lie most highly commended on the way they had worked under considerable hardships and difficulties. This proved the high esteem in which the deceased was held.