TRAGEDY AT ORUATI BAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 12 January 1931, Page 4

TRAGEDY AT ORUATI BAY

BROTHER AND SISTER FOUND DEAD EVIDENCE AT INQUEST (By Telegraph—Press Association) OPOTIKI, This Day. With gunshot wounds in their heads a brother and sister, Hemara and Ani Waiariki, natives, were found dead in a paddock near their home at Oruati Bay, and the very unusual events leaching up to their deaths were recounted at the inquest. The verdict was that the man, who was 26 years ago, shot his sister, aged 15 years, and then committed suicide.

Paniora Waiariki stated at the inquest that he identified the bodies as those of his son and daughter. The last time he saw his son alive was on Tuesday, 6th January, at 4 a.m., when he was quite well and’ normal. He had not had any quarrel with his son. Witness on 7th January found that Hemara had disappeared with his sister. “My wife,” said witness, “had notified me at Te Kaka that they had gone. I then found that a gun was missing, which made me frightened, but I did not look for them. Hemara knew some time ago that I knew that he was misconducting himself with the girl, and I suggested putting him on a farm at Te Kaka in order to separate them, with which he agreed. Hemara had been married. His wife died two years ago, leaving a boy and a girl.’. Witness identified the gun found lying on the body of Hemara as his gun. _ Ramari Waiariki, wife of Paniora Waiariki, identified the bodies as those of her son and daughter. Witness said she knew that deceased had misconducted themselves, and she had words with her daughter over it. Both had run away on Ist Januaiy, but witness got them to return home. After they went away on Tuesday witness discovered the gun was missing. She had never seen tlie cartridges (produced), as none were in the house.

The Coroner, summing up after further evidence from other witnesses, stated that there could ho no doubt about what had happened, and his verdict was that Ani Waiariki was killed by a gunshot wound in the head, the gun having been fired by Hemara Waiariki, and Hemara Waiariki came to his death by a gunshot wound in the head, self-in-flicted.