MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10605, 2 June 1920, Page 4

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

THE AWANUI TRAGEDY. HOW r A YOUNG MAORI MET HIS DEATH. PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, June 1. The charge of murder against a young Maori named Hona Herewini, otherwise Hona Selwyn, from Awanui, was commenced at tile Supreme Court this morning before Mr Justice Chapman. He was charged, that at Awanui on February 7tu, he murdered a fellow Maori named Mei Hemi Hui, 22 years of age. In opening the case, Mr J. A. Tole siated that on Saturday, February Vth, a. number of young Maoris were about the Awanui Hotel in the afternoon, some of them belonging to ijvanui and some coming from Kaangaroa. After the. hotel closed at 6 p.m. they remained lor a time about the stable yard of the hotel, and some time alter / p.m. prisoner and Mei 11 ui were seen fignung, and were separated. I'nsoner was advised to got his horse and g» homo. He went to . get nis Horse and iiui walked towaras the gate leading to the road, 'men tiio prisoner, wuo.had got on bis horse, rode towards the ga.ee, and the Orcwii easy was that as tie rode past Hui he inhictea a very severe and lata! blow on Hui'a head with some weapon, either a. piece of wood or a. stirrup iron. Hui fell unconscious, and alter trying to revive him, all the Maoris went away. A most extraordinary; feature of the case was that this injured young man seemed, to have been left lying in the yard. A fact.-- thatwas wrapped in mystery, for his removal, for the body was found later, only after three or four days' search in a drain a quarter of a mile away from th<» hotel v Evidence lor tho Crown had not concluded when the court adjourned. Prior to the rising of tno eouit the Crown Prosecutor said he wished to reduce the charge to one of manslaughter. .Judge Chapman concurred.