MOKOARE BEFORE THE COURT. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 382, 6 July 1889, Page 5

MOKOARE BEFORE THE COURT. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

The charge of murder against the Maori Mokoare Wafca at the KM. Court, Napier, was " That he did on the 18th April, 1889, at Table Cape, Mahia, murder one Robert Gollan." Mr Dick appeared for the accused. Mr Cottcrill conducted the case for the Crown, and Mr J. P. Hamlin interpreted. Dr. Ernest Wilkinson gave evidence as to the state of Gollans remains which had been burned. He stated the bones had the appearance of having been burned. Mihi Takatoi-ua, a young native woman residing at Wairoa, deposed she had known <,the prisoner for a. long time. Knew Robert Gollan, and lived with him at the Mahia in a house situated on Mr Ormond's property. Remembered a sitting of the Native Land Court at Wairoa ; knew Te Whaka, Epanaia, Hori Tehiti. These natives and herself were present at the Land Court, and an interview took place j between them at Mr Flynns hotel. The prisoner, who was also present, mentioned that he would take her (witness) as his wife, and kill "Bob"— that was Robert Gollan. Witness also deposed to having ' received three letters from prisoner, the substance of which was that sho was to fall in love with him. After the Mahia races, when they were returning home, Gollan and she were on horseback, and Mokoare was behind them. Riding up, Mokoare caused Gollan to fall off his hoise, j and Mokoare said, "I will patu (kill) him." Knew that Mokoare had a knife. It was a white-handled one. Mr Dick briefly cross-examined the witness, and said he would reserve a fuller cross-examination for the Supreme Court. Henry Rigby deposed that in February last he remembered Mokoare asking him whether he (witness) was good enough to take Mihi from Gollan. Witness told him he could not, as Gollan was a friend of his, and they were living in the same house. Mokoare said if he (witness) could get the woman from Gollan and bring her to Kahika, he would give him £10. Told Mokoare that if Mihi had been a single woman he might have brought her to Kahika for him. Parotene Rakaiora deposed that he was a brother of Reihana, and a brother-in-law of Mokoare, who married his sister. They lived together at the Kahika. Knew Robert Gollan, and remembered his house being burned down. Saw the house burning, and saw Reihana and Mokoare previously on the same evening at the Kahika, but they did not sleep at the Kahika that night. Saw them leave Kahika after sundown. Mokoare and Reihana did not return that night, but witness saw Mokoare the next day at the Kahika. Mokoare said to him (witness) and his wife "If anyone asks you any questions, say that Reibana and myself were at Taiporutu at the time Bob's house was burned." Saw Mokoare after he had been arrested, and Mokoare told him to be strong and to speak to Reihana. Mokoare said, "Tell Reihana to concsal our crime." Mokoare's feeling towards Gollan was that he wanted Gollans wife ; Mokoare told him so. To Mr Dick : Mokoare's child was sick, and died on the Friday. Peni Hapi deposed that he remembered the evening of the fire at Gollans house. Mokoare said, " Has Bob anyone living with him at Taumata ?'" Replied no, and told him that Gollans Mend or wife had gone to Gisborne. Mokoare at a future conversation tcld him he would give him (witness) £5 if he could get Mihi to consent to marry him. Reihana Paora, a boy ot about fifteen years of age, deposed that he was biothev-in-law to the prisoner and knew Robert Gollan. On the nitrht in question prisoner and himself left the Kahika on horseback ; the reason he went to Mokoaie that evening was because he asked him to go with him and kill pigs. When they started neither of them had any weapon with them to kill pigs. As they got to a valley near Mokoare's station, prisoner got a gun out of some toi-toi bushes ; it was a doublebarrelled gun, the one produced. They then took the road to Gollans house. When they reached the gate, Makoare said, "Do you know what we have come for?" Witne&s said "Ko," and Mokoare said, '• We have come here to kill Bob, because he told Mr Ormond that we had killed his sheep. If you and I are caught for this crime we shall get seven years in tjaol." Mokoare, who then dismounted, told him to hold his horse, and he then went with the gun in the direction of Gollans house. It was a fine and cloudless night, the stars were showing and the moon was just rising. He (witness) could I see Gollans house from the gate, and noticed a light burning inside. While engaged holding the noises he heard the report of a gun coming from the direction of Gollans house ; saw the flash from the gun. Shortly atter this he heard the words " Oh, dear me ! Oh, Jesus ! Oh. Jesus !" Gollan cried out this ; knew his voice, as he had been shepherding with him for some time. When Gollan said this it was after the second report of a gun ; then heard a third shot fired. Shortly after this Mokoare came back to the gate and said to him, "I have killed Gollan ; don't let anyone know." Mokoare brought the gun out with him, and riding away, Mokoare hid it in some ferns at Tahuroa. At this place there were some houses ; it was called " Martha's place," and they then went to the sheep yards at Aronarangatira, where they took off their boots ; the horses were left here. Mokoare then told him to give his boots to him (Mokoare). Did &o, and Mokoare left his own slippers at the rails of the sheep yard. They then went on to Arona's place ; she had been woke up by her children talking, as they had seen Gollans house burning. They both slept at Arona's house that night. Next morning, at Mokoare's request, went back to the Kahika, and on passing the sheep >ard he took Mokoare's slippers and put them on. When Mokoare returned he brought a child of Arona's with him, and had a gun with him as he came along, which Mokoare hid in the rushes close to where he (witness) stood. Mokoare told him to take off the slippers. He did so, and Makoare took the slippers and hid them in some briers near a house. They then went to Taiwananga ; he (witness) was barefooted. When he returned to the Kahika the next day he found the slippers still in the same place, and put them on. Subsequently Mokoare saw him wearing the slippers and he told him not to wear them, and to hide them. Concealed them in a creek, where they were subsequently found by him (witness) and the police. When Mokoare and himself (witness) went to Gollans house on the night it wa? burned Mokoare had some bullets with him in a powder flask. Both of them made the bullets in a frying pan the evening before the house was burned. They melted shot in a frying pan, and poured it into a small hole in the ground. Then the moulded lead was pared with a knife and made round like bullets, which were consequently very rough. To Mr Dick : He (witness) had often made such bullets to shoob pigs with.

Arona te Rangetere deposed that Reihana and Mokoare came to his house on the night of the fire. Makoare said he had come to fetch his child. Mavara said, w Rangi, the houae of your European, Bob, is being burnt," and ho replied, "That European must be mad to burn his house in the evening.'' George Canning Ormond, shoep-farmer at the Mahia, affirmed that Robert Gollan was a shepherd in witness's employment, and lived at the out-stat : on, Table Cape, about six miles from the homestead. Witness last saw Gollan alive about 1.30 on the afternoon of Thursday, 18th April, he having been dipping sheep. When the work was finished witness went a short distance with him, giving him some instructions, and Gollan thon lett him, witness going home. Gollan was quite sober. He had a "spree" occasionally — perhaps once in the year — but at other times he was perfectly sober. William John McLennan and Daniel Maher also gave evidence, after which tho prisoner was committed for trial.